Harry Potter and the Unspeakables
by PadfootStripQuidditch
Summary: ON HOLD. Harry returns to Hogwarts for his 7th year at the demand & threat of the new Headmistress! A mysterious dog, horcruxes, private lessons three times a week, the possibility of a new relative and N.E.W.T's on top of it all!
1. Hope and Denial

_A/N: I don't own any cannon character you might find in here other then Avril...oh I do own the plot. Please R&R!_

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Chapter 1: Hope and Denial**_

Sirius Black looked to Avril Potter from across the large table in the basement at number twelve Grimmauld Place. She had changed in the three-an-a-half years he had not seen her since she first came across him in his animagus form of a big bear-like black dog with Remus Lupin on their way back to Grimmauld from a meeting with Albus Dumbledore.

**-**+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ **3½** **Years Ago **+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

SPOV+

_"Why if it isn't Sirius Black and Remus Lupin." a voice as cold as death set Remus and myself on edge, frozen to the spot, as if the use my name was not enough._

_Remus was the first to turn around, I was more reluctant to, but nevertheless I did in time to hear Remus gasp softly._

_"Avril...you're alive..." Remus was shocked. I was not. I had spotted her picture in the Daily Prophet only hours before my escape from Azkaban nearly half-a-year ago. _

_She looked tired and worn out, dark circles under her eyes as she looked like she hadn't ate anything in a good several month streak. The black duster she wore faded a bit and torn in different places showed its apparent use as did the rest of her clothes._

_"Sorry to disappoint." she hissed, my eyes catching sight of her wand already in her hand, though loosely gripped, gave away that she clearly did not see us as any kind of threat. It really did not matter; she could do magic nearly as well as Dumbledore without the need of her wand or spoken words._

_"I thought...the Prophet said you had been murdered by Death Eaters only weeks after you left eighteen years ago!" Remus replied, too shocked by her presents to think to point his wand at her._

_She laughed, nothing like her natural laughter that I had known at one point._

_"Well when you go deep undercover you go deep." she smiled, the skin pulling tautly over her hallow cheekbones._

_I thought of changing out of my animagus form, but realized with anger that we were indeed in the middle of the streets in a large crowd full of muggles on their way to the line of stores behind us or from them._

_"Harry...do you know about him?" Remus asked and I realized he was trying to buy time to think of a plan to get away from the Auror._

_"Yes." she answered sharply, not moving from her distance less than a good five paces away her eyes taking us both in with study._

_"He doesn't know about you." Remus retorted._

_I watched out of the corner of my eye as his wand raised slightly from it position at his side, his knuckles had turned white with how hard he was gripping it._

_"Obviously." she snapped. "What would be the point? So Voldy and his Death Eaters could use me against him? Also what with you lot thinking I was dead, what would be the point in telling him." _

_Neither of us made any sudden movements, my senses practically smelling the anger rolling off her in a fog._

_"But enough of that-- OI!" she growled, stepping forward wand raised chest level as Remus had tried and failed to disarm her._

_I watched as Remus suddenly went ridged under a silent full-body locking charm, but instead of falling over losing his balance, as he should have, he stood rooted to the ground. She had cast a levitating spell only to keep up appearances for the muggles that were swarming around us. I knew this was going to be the end result and that I would have to take action. I moved to leap forward and tackle her, but her wrist flicked and I found my paws glued to the ground._

_A sticking charm. She was fast._

_She drew closer to us, her face showing a slight smile of triumph._

_"If they had sent me after you instead of that idiot Shacklebolt you'd have been caught and back in Azkaban by now," she said, her voice low. "but no--- previous emotional ties and all." _

_"He...didn't...do...do...it." Remus was fighting the hex and trying to free himself._

_Then she did something that surprised both of us and scared me. She smiled quite clearly, her eyes gleaming brightly a bit compared to the dull existence they held only seconds ago._

_"I know."_

_What? My mind screamed. She still wanted to send me to Azkaban knowing I was innocent?_

_"Our dear Black cared more about James..." her words cold and icy hung on with vehement loathing on the last word, " and the idiots mudblood wife then his own child's well being for him to give away his precious friend's hiding spot. He didn't trust you, Remus so that only left one person..." _

_Her smile widened and she nearly said it gleefully. "Peter Pettigrew."_

_I growled deeply baring my fangs. Since when did she start calling people mudblood? She used to hate people for saying such things! On top of that, If she knew it was that traitor why did not she say anything to the Ministry?_

_Suddenly Remus stumbled forward catching his footing and I found my paws no longer attached to the cement walkway. She had released us? Remus looked just as confused as I was, the facial expression rather hard for being a dog at the time._

_"But you're not my problem." she said, her wand loosely in her left hand. "And I've no desire for the wizarding world's presumptuous praise for your capture."_

_"You're letting us go?" Remus asked still looking rather perturbed._

_"Would you like me to take you in?" she asked over her back as she walked away disapparating within the crowd, none of the muggles seemingly noticing her sudden disappearance._

_We both stood there for a while in shock, surprised by her simple gesture. Remus turned on me suddenly._

_"What child?" he asked_

_I looked up to him from my animagus forms squat height._

_Avril and I had never told anyone that she was pregnant...nor did I tell anyone that the reason she left was that she blamed me for the loss of our child. She had every right to...I should have been where I was supposed to be rather then with James and Lily that night._

**-**+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+**Summer of 1997 - Present Time**+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

Sirius watched her wrap her hands about the hot mug of coffee she had made herself, smelling the sweetness from the creamer and sugar added only seconds ago. His grey eyes watched her movements, seeing that she looked plumper then she had been three and a half years ago when her eyes had looked sunken in and her clothes hung off her malnourished frame. She had been eating properly since then, but more over she was now Hogwarts' new Headmistress. That news alone accompanied by the fact that Dumbledore had been murdered by Severus Snape and that Minerva McGonagall had stepped down from possibly becoming official Headmistress for reasons only the older woman could explain, nearly blew Sirius away. Then again, several things had happened since his fall through the veil and reappearance thanks to Avril.

_"She saved me. Pulled me from the Veil when everyone else thought I was dead."_ Sirius thought to himself, part of him had hoped she had done it because she felt something for him, but merely told him she only did it for Harry because the boy needed him more than anything now that the second war had begun.

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A/N: First chapter, more to come! Things will be explained so don't worry and I'm trying not to leave any plot holes! The next chapter should be up shortly today...probably with the third one too. I'm on a role! This story is the base of all the other Harry Potter stories I've popped out thus far. It's my version of the seventh book if you will...obviously with my own OC. Don't hate me please!_

_OTHER NOTES: This is __**not**__ an AU. I guess one would think so, because of Sirius' return, but it is __**not**__ because I never deny the fact that he falls threw the Veil. He does. There are consequences to her actions. It's not like he magically was able to swing himself away from the Veil in the nick of time or did some spectacular jump away from it. He fell through it. It's that simple. So once again this is __**not**__ an AU, so please don't call it that. If you are simply because of the existence of an OC, then all fanfic's with OC's in them might as well be called that. Thank you._


	2. The Return of Padfoot

_A/N: Well here is the 2nd chapter on the same day. I don't own any cannon character you might find in here other then Avril...oh I do own the plot. Please R&R!_

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Chapter 2: The Return of Padfoot**_

**-**+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+**2½**** months ago **+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

APOV+

_It was only a few weeks after Dumbledore's death and the early release of the students that I sat with Minerva McGonagall looking at me conspicuously from behind her glasses, her eyes surveying me with caution. I had not set foot in Hogwarts let alone the Headmistress' office once since graduating twenty-one years ago. I looked down to my nails wondering if I should have painted them black when she spoke._

_"You are to tell no one else what I am going to say understand?" she stated rather then asked._

_I nodded my head._

_"I didn't believe it myself, but there was a prophecy in the Hall of Prophecies at the Department of Mysteries with my name on it," she put her hand up to stop me from asking any questions. "the man who gave the prophecy told of two things that could happen here. One being that if I stayed and took the position of Headmistress, I would not be able to rally enough people behind me in order to keep the school open, but would manage it. Though very few and far in between they would be, but if I stepped down and let the proper people choose, you would be chosen and with ease would you bring people around you and all if not more students would come back including that of Harry Potter and his friends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley,"_

_I opened my mouth to speak, but she stopped me yet again. _

_"As it turns out I would not be able to bring the three back to school as it seems they will try not to do, and in my opinion strictly on guess work that the end result would be their untimely deaths. So as of before you came to this meeting, I have sent word of me stepping down from the given position of Headmistress and have asked that they look to you for the newly opened position."_

_"WHAT?" I roared standing, finally able to say something. "Are you outta your mind? I can't lead these teachers and children!"_

_McGonagall looked taken aback. "I am most certainly not out of my mind!" she snapped, pulling her dress robes about her suddenly. "I am doing what I believe is right! The fact of the matter, you being who you are I believe would cause Mr. Potter to want to come back to Hogwarts and finish his last year though it maybe interrupted by you-know-who, but I think that he might find himself a bit more prepared then going off wilily-nilly head first after you-know-who!"_

_I collapsed into the chair, unable to find the right words, to protest, to stop her crazy thoughts. I was not good enough to take up post after Dumbledore! I just was not! I was not as powerful as he was and was not even half of the person he was!_

_"You are an Auror and we both know that you know some rather influential people...," she saw me shaking my head, "for pete-sake you are one out of seven Aurors thought most highly enough of that the Minister of Magic gave you the power of the unforgivable curses! If Fudge thought you were good enough to have that kind of power and Scrimgeour is still letting you have that kind of use then you are higher up the food chain then you realize!" McGonagall snapped, practically yelling._

_She composed herself quickly._

_"I expect you'll be receiving an owl sometime tomorrow as to whether you've been chosen or not."_

**-**+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ **Several Weeks Later **+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

SPOV+

_The only thing I remembered was being hit by Bellatrix's stunning spell and then the blurry vision of someone above me. I must have been on my back, as someone was trying to pour something into my mouth. I swallowed the liquid without much thought, before I realized what I was doing and tried to get a grip onto the strangers wrist, accidentally drinking more down then I wanted. The struggle stopped and my vision cleared. The stranger had their back turned to me as they were trying to shake off the spilled liquid from the front of their robes._

_"Where am I?" I asked. "And who are you?"_

_Turning around I immediately recognized them._

_"Avril..." I was to tell the truth a bit shocked to see her._

_She stared at me without a word and reached out, helping me off my back. Finding my ground, I looked around realizing I was still in the Department of Mysterious in the Death Room, the Veil softly moving a few good feet away. A large cauldron only a few paces off to my right...what had she done to get me out of there?_

_She seemed to understand my inquisitive looks when she answered, "It's a prison for souls," she nodded her head to the archway and its black veil. "found out that if it doesn't spit the body out through the other side then the Veil had decided that the person was redeemable enough to keep their soul. Use to be meant for the most worst of dark wizards, but was stopped being used when the Minister then decided that because of its fussy nature it could not be relied on. So they stick people in Azkaban instead with the Dementors."_

_"Yes, it thinks and has intelligent thought. It's like the sorting hat," she answered looking rather cross as though it were the most obvious thing in the world when she saw me move my mouth to speak, "though much worst in nature."_

_I tried to open my mouth to talk again, but she cut me off. "Before you ask, the cauldron was to mix a potion that had to immediately be taken. The archway could not just spit you out soul and all because it was not meant for that and cannot without something specifically meant to take the place of the one the caster wants. Only bodies I'm afraid without the spell. The spell is very difficult to do, before you ask how I did it and all. An exchange had to be made...," she looked down at the tattoo on her wrist briefly. "something of equal portion."_

_I was worried now. Something of equal portion? What did that mean, what did she exchange for me?_

_"Now is not the time and I'm sure you'd like a full story, but I'm not going to give it to you," she shook her head slowly putting her hand up to stop me from questioning her. "though I will tell you the potion I gave you was a mixture for you to look your proper age, but you grabbed me and you drank a lot more then you should have."_

_"Wha--?" I asked looking down at my hands seeing that the skin was rather young looking._

_"It's one of the nasty little punishments of the Veil. It feeds on the souls," Avril retorted, looking at my face. "your body and soul was good enough nourishment for it that it had decided to feed on you too, even though it thought you redeemable."_

_I shuddered a bit at this horrifying news. I was being used for food? I'm not going to blow chunks! I'm not going to blow chunks! I thought to myself._

_"Shrinking Solution?" I asked feeling my face for the familiar wrinkles I had gotten when in Azkaban, but not finding them there._

_"Yes and a few choice things to restore your health and mind," this time she gave me a one over and sighed. "though I'm sure you probably have the same cockiness you had then too...and the stupidity of running head first into a fight."_

_"What does that mean?" I growled. Cockiness I had then? When?_

_She put her hand up again to stop me. It was becoming annoying._

_"Though you've been cleared of all charges I need you in your Animagus form right now." she said, making her way up the stairs to the top most door._

_I felt frozen to the ground suddenly. "What? Why do I have to be in my animagus form?" I asked realizing she was leaving and chasing after her. I turned around to see that the cauldron was gone. When did she do that?_

_"Wait a minute damnit!" I called going after her. "What do you mean I've been cleared of all charges?!"_

_"Later! Animagus now!" she said calmly, waving her hand dismissing my question._

_The new Avril was pissing me off. _

_Quickly I changed before we entered into the large corridor outside of the heavy door that the members of the Order of the Phoenix had once gone through that night to save Harry._

_Harry! Merlin's beard was he okay? Did he get out alive that night?! I was about to change to ask, when she stopped and turned on me, waving her wand suddenly over me. I looked down to my paws to see that the color of my fur had changed to a pure white color and more than likely the breed of dog I was too. Though I didn't see how that was possible._

_What the hell?!_

_"I can't have you looking like you normally do. I'd rather have your revival kept a secret, especially from Voldy and his Death Eaters...," she paused looking at me sternly, "even from Harry!"_

_What! I couldn't tell Harry I was alive!? Why the bloody hell not?!_

_"In time Helios."_

_Helios? What the hell did she call me?_

_"Sorry but I can't go around calling you Padfoot, people would pick up on that and realize who you really are. Therefore, in the mean time you've got to act like a proper doggy. That means pissing on trees and such...not like you don't do that now though." she said shrugging her shoulders, pressing the button for the lift._

_I growled at her, becoming angry. I started to wish she had just left me in the ruddy archway!_

**-**+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+**Summer of 1997 - Present Time**+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

She finally decided to regale everything that had happened, before she grabbed herself a cup of coffee taking a seat across from Sirius in the empty number twelve Grimmauld Place as he listened to it all. She didn't tell him exactly everything. Like what she had to exchange in order to get him, back from the Veil or why she was appointed new Headmistress of Hogwarts... or at least not all of it. She did however confide in Sirius about what Dumbledore had told her speculating about Harry and the mission he would have to take on, only several weeks before the Headmasters right arm had become disfigured. Being it best to let her know what he was getting Harry into and to help him if anything happened that might cause Dumbledore, himself not to be there for the boy. About how she snuck through files, case files and bothered Croaker a worker at the Department of Mysterious about the Veil convincing him that Scrimgeour was considering using it on Voldemort if he was ever caught.

_"It was like Dumbledore knew this was going to be the end result."_ Sirius thought, sitting there taking it all in. He finally broke the silence.

"So is the school going to stay open?"

"Yes."

"Are any of the students coming back?" Sirius asked, watching closely.

"Yes and loads of first years as well." Avril smiled for the first time since he saw her three-an-a-half year ago, as she took a sip from her mug.

Speculating how she managed that, but choose to ask a different question, "And Harry?" Sirius pried, having been told about McGonagall's fears.

"We'll be going there later this week," she said looking up from her coffee. "his birthday is next week and we've got to get him before the magic Lily's blood has ends on his seventeenth birthday."

Sirius nodded in agreement. "I don't like not being able to tell him though."

"It can't be helped. When the time is right, but for now, hopefully people will just think that you're my familiar." Avril retorted eyes scanning Sirius' own as they stared at each other briefly.

She moved to leave the table and Sirius stood, "Good night," she said, taking her mug with her to the stairs. "hopefully Remus and the other members of the Order of the Phoenix won't try to come here for the next few days."

"Wouldn't be able to get in if they tried." he said, looking to her curious expression.

"Changed the password," he answered flashing her one of his smiles. "been meaning to ask, but how did you know it was here? The house that is."

Avril sighed softly and said, "Dumbledore told me when he first let me know what was going on with Harry. It's kind of obvious, he was the secret keeper and no one else would be able to tell me even after his death." simply shaking her head at the same time as she ascended the stairs.

"If you like I could come up and help keep you warm?" he called after, getting no response except from the sound of the one of the bedroom doors shutting and locking.

Laughing he disappeared back into the kitchen that resided in the basement of the house, looking at himself in the mirror once more, rubbing at the stubble that had began to grow.

"Jesus I look like I'm twenty-seven again." Sirius barked out a laugh as he still had not gotten use to his new look. "Well at least what I should have looked like at twenty-seven!"

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A/N: I tried to make the months and years make sense, hope I did. Once again, hope I did't leave any plot holes, but if I did in this chapter it is more then likey because it's going to be explained down the road. SO--- if you're also confused who Avril is she's my OC for this story. If you'd like her background story with Sirius read 'To Start with a Memory' on my page! _


	3. I Hate Apparating

_A/N: THIS CHAPTER HAS BEEN REWRITTEN! _

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**_  
Chapter 3: I Hate Apparating_**

Harry was suddenly ripped from his thoughts when there was a sharp knock at the Dursley's front door, the person seemly not having noticed the doorbell. Cracking his bedroom door open he heard his Uncle Vernon open the front door, but couldn't hear the conversation between the two as they were practically whispering. The sound of the door closing and the hushed conversation moved into the family room, perked his curiosity and he snuck down the stairs a bit to catch the conversation coming from his Aunt and Uncle apparently not too pleased with their new guests.

A young woman that had entered into their house pondered taking a seat, but when they offered none she shook off their rudeness and began to address them about what she had come for as one of the three leaned himself against the wall and the other looked about the house taking in its appearance.

"WHAT MIGHT COME HERE?" Uncle Vernon bellowed abruptly, his chest puffing up.

"There's no need to yell," the young woman said calmly, eyeing him while she shoved her black locks out of her face.

"THERE CERTAINLY IS! NO-- _WITCH_ IS GONNA COME INTO MY HOME AND TELL ME MY FAMILY WILL GET KILLED BECAUSE OF THAT RUDDY BOY!"

"Witch…killed?" Harry mumbled, trying to get a view of the visitors who was obviously from the Wizarding world.

"She was merely stating the facts, sir," another voice entered into the conversation that Harry recognized immediately as Remus Lupin's. "It's that simple. The magic that keeps your house from the view of Voldemort is in Harry's blood and that magic ends the very second he turns seventeen--- I'm sorry."

Harry knew this, but who was the woman who had that information as well?

"HARRY POTTER GET DOWN HERE NOW!" his Uncle yelled as Harry imagined his face almost certainly red in anger.

Harry raced down the rest of the stairs into the family room and his eyes caught sight of his old Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor Remus Lupin in his normal attire of black raggedy robes with several patches sewn into the material, his hair with bits of grey threw out it. Though it was not due to his age, but his transformations each night of the full moon.

"Hello, Harry." he smiled softly with a nod of his head.

"Potter." a gruff voice to Harry's left said, the man leaned against the wall, his gnarled cane held in his hands as his magical electric blue eyes swirled in its place, watching the Dursley's beside him.

"Hello Moody, Lupin." Harry said as his eyes took in the other visitor.

A young woman dressed in an oyster gray sleeveless jumpsuit with a matching belt and a soft shadow grey relaxed looking cardigan that fell about mid-calf length, looked comfortable on her. She was dressed quite well in muggle attire for being a witch, unless she was muggle born; Harry couldn't tell by looking at her.

"Why, hello Mr. Potter." the woman spoke softly, her pale features matched her bright blue eyes, as they both played off her jet black hair color well.

"Hello." Harry said taking in her full appearance.

"Now what's all this about _Demanors_ might try and kill us because of you?" his Uncle Vernon demanded, his Aunt Petunia looking paler still as she looked between the two men.

"When I turn seventeen the magic from my mum in my blood won't protect me anymore. So basically it means they might find me if I stay here any longer." Harry answered quickly rather annoyed that the trio had told them what appeared to be everything.

"What?" his Aunt Petunia said finally speaking up.

"Quite true, quite true." the woman retorted.

His Uncle found this time appropriate to round on her immediately. "AND JUST WHO ARE YOU?!"

"Stop shouting for the love of mankind, you're giving me a ruddy headache!" Mad-Eye Moody suddenly snapped. "There is no need to yell all the time at every little thing! You'll find I'm not as polite or as kind as my companions are."

Harry had always like Moody for his quick wit and threatening tones with his Uncle; anyone who could get Uncle Vernon to shut up that quickly got several brownie points in his eyes.

"Well I've never..." Petunia mumbled.

"If you would have let me explain further before the yelling started, I would have been able to tell you that I am the new Headmistress at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." the woman said.

Harry stared at her completely at a loss for a new Headmaster that wasn't McGonagall was strange even in Harry's world.

Moody caught Harry's confused looks and spoke up, "She was put into place by the Ministry of Magic." he said gruffly.

"They don't get to choose do they?" Harry demanded, the woman not in his good graces if she was like Umbridge and sent by the Ministry of Magic, whom he already detested.

"No, they don't," Remus said, joining in the conversation that Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia were only privy to listen to as though they weren't there. "But McGonagall asked for her to take the position."

"What, why?" asked Harry looking between the three.

"Now is not the time," Moody said sternly as he shifted onto his wooden leg. "We need to go; we don't have the time for this."

The woman nodded her head and gave a wave of her wand in a curt manner and swiftly all of his things were clambering down the stairs, at the front door waiting to be let out, Hedwig's cage with her in it floating along precariously. It was everything that had ever been in his room and with a sudden pop they were all gone.

"Where did you send them?!" Harry demanded rather frightened at the sudden disappearance. He had known Dumbledore to do the same thing, but he had never done it in front of Harry before.

"To the Burrow," she answered simply, "The name is Avrilynn Potter." she continued, to Harry's astonished, questioning looking's.

"Potter, as in my last name?" Harry asked, before either his Uncle or Aunt could.

She merely smiled at him softly.

Abruptly a thought came to the forefront of Harry's mind, _"What if they aren't really them?"_

"How do I know you are who you say you are?" Harry asked, his wand in his hand quickly pointed at the three in different turns and his Uncle began to shout.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING? PUT THAT RUDDY STICK AWAY NOW!"

"SHUT UP!" Harry growled. "They could be anyone; just pretending to be who they say they are!"

"I guess you don't," the woman said suddenly. "But a Death Eater I am not."

"I never said that now did I?" Harry spat, raising his wand chest level at her.

"Now don't do anything rash Harry!" Remus said softly, his own wand held loosely in his hand.

"At least he's bloody smart enough to ask!" Moody snarled shifting back onto his other leg and he stomped his cane against the ground. "CONSTANT VIGILANCE!"

Remus looked to be trying to keep himself from rolling his eyes, but failed as Harry looked between the three and he asked, "What's your boggart?"

Remus opened his mouth to answer when he was cut off by the woman, "Even I could answer that one." she said with challenging smirk.

"You're not helping Avril." muttered Remus.

"If we were actually Death Eaters do you think we'd care enough to let your family live?" Moody asked as he smirked broadly and at this Aunt Petunia gave a faint cry and tried to hide Dudley behind her thin form, needless to say it wasn't working.

"Ask any questions you see fit, Harry." Remus retorted while his hands clasped together in tranquility.

Harry was a bit unnerved. What could he ask them that only they would know? He didn't even know the woman--- could the other two claim her innocence?

"Where did Sirius go when he was sixteen?" Harry asked eyeballing Remus.

"At sixteen, Sirius finally broke apart from his family and took refuge with James and his parents." Remus sighed.

Harry looked over to Moody, his eyes fixed on him. Surely no one would have overheard their conversation on Platform 9¾, "What did Mrs. Weasley call the telephone?" he asked.

Moody grunted and barked out a laugh like Sirius often did before he answered, "_Fellytone_."

Despite their correct answers, Harry didn't lower his wand from the woman who stood in front of Aunt Petunia's lacy covered and clothed, stiff backed arm chair. The woman remained calm as though his wand was of no particular significance to her, as though she would be able to deflect anything Harry casted at her and the teen found he was getting annoyed.

"And her?" he asked carefully trying to keep his voice calm.

"She _is_ the new Headmistress of Hogwarts." Remus replied stuffing his wand inside his shabby and tattered robes.

"We trained together." Moody growled shifting his bowler hat up to expose his magical eye more.

"Trained?" Harry asked looking between Moody and the woman. "She's an Auror?"

"What else would we train on?" Moody barked in annoyance.

Harry held back a growl and said, "…I've decided…not to finish schooling." he confessed looking at the ex-Auror.

"Yes, we know…but I'm afraid that's not an option here Harry," said Remus softly, shoving his hands into his pockets uneasily. "The best place for you to be is at Hogwarts---"

"Tell Dumbledore that!" spat Harry, the words echoing in the room as his arm fell to his side.

Harry stared at the woman that shared his surname; silence falling as it became longer and a mite awkward before she broke it with a grim look upon her face.

"Yes, well until I can pull a Time-Turner out my---," she began, but quickly cut off by Remus.

"Have you not been reading the Daily Prophet?" he asked walking across the room to Moody's side.

"No!" Harry snarled. "I stopped getting it after they decided to print lies about me!"

Remus nodded his head in understanding and opened his mouth to speak when suddenly his face contorted and Harry's eyes darted to Moody, whose face was contorted in disarray as well when Remus suddenly shouted,

"Avril you didn't have to cast that!" Remus growled in his most polite manner, sticking his fingers in his ears like Moody had, who sighed deeply to Harry's confounded expression.

"It means she wants us to get out!" Moody roared disappearing around the corner of the family room and the sudden slamming of the front door could be heard after Remus followed suit and soon only the Dursley's, Harry and the woman were left in the room.

"What just happened, what did she say?" Uncle Vernon incontinently shouted as though he couldn't hear himself and Harry instantaneously understood that she had cast _muffliato_ to keep the Dursley's, Moody and Lupin from hearing what she had to say. He hadn't even glimpsed her wave her wand, let alone say it. Was she just as good of a spellcaster as Dumbledore had been?

"There is a job I must do and from within Hogwarts is the best place for it to be done." she said softly.

"Well your job isn't my problem now is it?" Harry scoffed.

The woman laughed outright, "How do you plan to find Voldemort's horcruxes? Randomly make your way up to people and ask 'excuse me but I've got to kill the most feared wizard in all of history…would you like to help'?"

She was making him sound like an idiot, as though he was too incompetent to work things out for himself and he felt his anger on the rise yet again since the death of Sirius.

"Harry, I was asked by Dumbledore himself before his death, to help you if something should happen to him. That is how I know about the horcruxes," the words stopped him from preparing to yell. "If you return, you and I will have private lessons two, three times a week at most."

"Why did he ask you?" Harry asked, "What kind of lessons?"

He knew perfectly well what kind of lessons she meant, but still he had his reserves about her despite Lupin's word the woman was of good standing.

"Dumbledore was like a father to me as I'm sure he might have become to you, but we kept in touch through the years despite my graduation years ago. I do not know why he trusted me with this task, but it is what I am going to do…it is the least I can do compared to everything he did for me," the woman sighed as though the simple telling of the fact seemed to take all her strength. "Our lessons will involve searching for the bits of Voldy's soul---, among other things." she answered.

"Voldy?" Harry asked elated by the nickname for his enemy.

She chuckled and said, "Makes him sound like a fluffy little doggy doesn't it? He didn't like it too much when I called him that to his face." her eyes just then filled of the mischief that Harry had often seen in his Godfather's when he had the chance to visit him.

"You've been against--- Voldy?" Harry asked using her nickname for the Dark Lord.

"More then I'd like back in the day." she replied, moving to shift weight to her other foot, all four of them standing still, his Uncle never having offered her a seat.

"WHAT IN THE RUDDY HELL IS SHE SAYING?" Uncle Vernon roared to his wife, who looked just as perplexed, trying to hear her husband, but only heard the annoying buzzing sound of the spell regurgitating in her ears.

"So…you comin' back or what?" Harry was still surprised to find that she was so young looking for the new Headmistress.

Harry eyed her before he said, "Fine, under one condition though---,"

He had expected her to protest, but instead she stood waiting to hear him out.

"I've got to visit my parent's grave in---" he was interrupted.

"I know where it's at." she retorted.

Harry watched her warily before he nodded his head and checked to make sure he stuffed his wand in his front pocket.

"Next to Miss. Granger's." the Headmistress smiled, walking towards the door, the spell beginning to wear off his Aunt and Uncle.

"NOW WAIT A MINUTE HERE! WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE RUDDY GOING?!"

Harry had learned from experience to stay out of his Uncles reach long ago and he smiled brightly for the first time in awhile and answered his question, "Leaving this stupid place once and for all!"

Harry left the house in the Headmistress' wake, leaving his Uncle looking rather abashed. Joy ripped through Harry's body and he was the happiest he could have ever been; he was finally free of the Dursley's--- finally! At long last, no more screaming, locked bedroom door and caged windows! No more Uncle Vernon, no more Aunt Petunia and no more Dudleykins!

Harry ran ahead of the woman, jumping off the curve with joy yelling all the while, "YES!! THANK GOD, YES! I'M OUTTA HERE!!!!"

Remus smiled as they boy went sailing past him and Moody who merely chuckled at the teen who jumped up and down in the street quite enthusiastically, shooting his fists into the air madly. The Headmistress smiled as well, trying not to laugh thinking he was just as crazy as Sirius and his father were in their day, when a jet black and pure white colored dog similar looking to be a mix of wolf bounded up to Harry, causing the boy to back up a bit, pulling his wand out as did Moody and Remus.

"It's alright, he's mine!" Avril said quickly hoping the three wouldn't blast the dog into the bushes, the mental image caused her to laugh out loud suddenly.

Harry looked at him apprehensively, "What's his name?"

"Helios." the dog shot a glare at her with his piercing blue-white eyes at the mention of his name as Moody and Remus stuffed their wands back into their robes.

Harry tried the name on his tongue, "Isn't that the name of a Greek god or something?"

"Yes." she answered simply.

"Well we'll see you later." Remus suddenly said interrupting the dogs enjoyable petting session.

"You aren't coming with us?" Harry asked looking between the two men.

"Afraid not." Moody said gruffly.

"Though I'm sure we'll see each other again." Remus retorted with a quick wink that Harry caught as a sign of something to come as the four of them followed after Moody.

"I hate Apparating." Moody mumbled darkly as he hobbled down to the familiar alleyway that Dementors had attacked Harry and his cousin in only before start of his fifth year not long ago.

Harry and the Headmistress said their good-byes and two cracks echoed loudly in the alleyway, sounding as though a car had backfired.

* * *

_  
A/N: First I'd like to say, when I choose to call Voldemort Voldy is because it helps relieve the stress of the pressing matter for but a brief moment. I know if I was in Harry's world and heard someone call Voldemort Voldy I'd laugh. Laughter is the key people, even in sad and scary moments. It helps even a fragment of a bit. Not to mention I can be as juvenile as I like!_

_I hope I made it so Harry didn't leave too willingly. I made it a bit harder I hope._

_Don't flame. I'll just use it to roast marshmallows on. _

_Also chapters following this up to seven has been rewritten as well, but not as largely as this chapter has._


	4. New Things to Come

_A/N: I OWN HARRY POTTER!!...shit I don't? Damn! I only own Avril and the plot. R&R please! Review please!!!_

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_**  
Chapter 4: New things to come**_

Harry patted the dog, which stood on his hind legs suddenly, dancing around showing off for him. The Headmistress shook her head, taking a hold of Harry's arm tightly and with a pull at his the back of his navel, lack of breath, his lungs feeling like they were about to burst, they apparated in a small alleyway similar to the one they had just disapparated from he had passed through on several occasions. Harry sized up the woman's visage although they walked at a swift pace, the teen able to keep up with her easily, their legs equally the same length as her black hair ran the span of her back and down to the midst of her thighs, and her side swept bags reminded him of Hermione a tad.

A freshly dark blue painted home loomed on the horizon, while a small darkly stained fence in the front protected the funny little garden gnomes painted in weird colors beside even odder flowers in the yard.

"Ah---?" he asked, following the woman to the front door; she chose to ring the doorbell this time.

"Miss. Granger's."

"Oh, right." Harry had never been to Hermione's house before. It looked rather nice from the outside and his curiosity rose, wondering what it looked like on the inside.

Helios' sharp abrupt bark just then at his side startled him. How did the dog get there, could you apparate animals? If so when did she grab a hold of him? The door swung open when Harry was about to inquire regarding it, when Hermione was unexpectedly staring back at him.

"Harry?" she asked, giving the impression of being rather confused, but happy nevertheless when she took him into a hug.

"Hey, Hermione."

"Hello." she said, nodding to the woman at Harry's side, stepping aside to let them pass.

"Hello, Miss. Granger I'm---" said the Headmistress, interrupted this time.

"The new Headmistress for Hogwarts." Hermione retorted, finishing the woman's sentence.

"How in the world do you know what?" Harry asked, coming to the conclusion that Hermione was really a know-it-all or had some very good sources.

"Daily Prophet." she replied, like it was the most obvious thing.

"Stay outside." the Headmistress said, just then directing their attention to the dog that was trying to come inside, but instead stared at her angrily. Hermione practically gushed at the sight of the animal.

"Oh my goodness, he's so cute! What's his name?" she asked, as she ruffled its hair, kissing its nose softly.

"Helios." retorted the Headmistress, studying the apparently happy dog as its fox-like brush tail carried in a sickle curve over its back wagged happily.

"Hello," said Hermione's mother, from the hallway as she wiped her hands on a dishtowel, evidently just getting the dishes done. "Nice to meet you. Hello Harry!"

"Hi, Mrs. Granger!" Harry replied, having had met Hermione's parents once before when in Diagon Alley, but had not seen them since.

"Miss. Granger why don't you go gather your things." said the black haired woman; Hermione stared at her mother who nodded her head in agreement, and the Headmistress took in the girl interrogatory looks, but followed the other woman into the sitting room, leaving the girl to do nothing but head up stairs with Harry in tow.

Making after Hermione, Harry guessed the Headmistress was explaining to her parents about taking his friend to the Burrow, which he didn't quite understand himself, but figured that he would also have to explain it to Hermione once upstairs in her room. Looking around he was surprised to see it was painted a dark blue similar to the outside of the house, but not surprised at all by the bookshelves and books that accompanied them.

"Magical guide to foot fungus?" Harry asked, and laughed when she snatched it out of his hands, stuffing it under her pillow as she packed. Crookshankes curled up on her blue stripped comforter while she pushed in another pair of trainers.

"So what's going on?" Hermione finally asked, eyeing him suspiciously. "I thought we'd decided to go after the other horcruxes?"

Harry sat down on the edge of her bed and told her everything that had happened at the Dursley's, by the time he finished, Hermione was up and digging in her closet for something. Reappearing with a dusty looking paper, Harry saw it to be a copy of the Daily Prophet that had Ron's family on the front from when they won their trip to Egypt.

"Why in the world do you have that old thing?" he asked, taking it from her, smiling briefly at Ron's waving figure.

Hermione sighed, flipped it open to page number twenty-two and to Harry's surprise there was the Headmistress looking back up at him, growling cusses that he could make out as she shoved someone out of the way. Just above her angry picture in big bold red letters it read:

_**AVRIL POTTER: ****(no relation to Harry Potter)**** AUROR,**_

_**DARK WIZARD CATCHER, THE FIRST AMONG SEVERAL**_

_**SELECT FEW AUROR'S, GIVEN THE POWER OF **_

_**THE UNFORGIVABLE CURSES! **_

_In a stunning turn of events, the Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge_

_has announced the new decree for seven highly trained Auror's_

_to obtain the right to cast when needed the unforgivable curses._

_Though specifically meant for the need of Dark Wizard catching,_

_as many of the Wizarding community knows that these seven are_

_truly being given these restricted rights for the one and only purpose_

_of spying on and catching currently free and roaming Death Eaters still_

_loyal to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.(pg32) One confirmed UCS _

_Auror (Unforgivable curse spellcaster) is that of Avril Potter, the first _

_chosen for the seven. When asked why seven, why Avril Potter and why _

_now, the Minister was quoted as saying, "Seven is the most powerful _

_magical number, why not double our chances? Miss Potter was not only _

_recommended by my good friend Albus Dumbledore, whose opinion I _

_hold high, but because of her spectacular catch rate. There isn't a Wizard _

_she has been ordered to bring in that she hasn't yet, as have the other six_

_chosen. I want to squash out those that still might be loyal to You-Know-Who _

_and finally bring the Wizarding community into the er of peace that we should _

_have had long ago." Still many believe Fudge to only be picking up his slack _

_of late to be re-elected into office for another term, being the election _

_close at hand.(Cont' pg31)_

"Power of the unforgivable curses," Harry read through the article quickly. "The Minister of Magic can give people that kind of power and Dumbledore asked for her to be one of the seven?"

"Yes, Harry. Even when Fudge was booted out and Scrimgeour took over, he reinstated the same decree, but that's not what I wanted you to pay attention to," Hermione said pointing to the small subtext in the header. "No relation to Harry Potter."

"Maybe she didn't want Voldy and his pals to find out and try and use her against me!" Harry said, founding himself getting angry with his friend for trying to smash his tiny hopes.

"Harry I'm...wait--- what, Voldy?" Hermione looked confused and both annoyed if possible at the same time.

"I'll explain later!" he snapped.

Her face softened, "I'm sorry Harry, I just don't want you to get your hopes up and then find out it's not true." Hermione replied softly.

"Hermione, Harry dear!" Mrs. Granger called up the stairs.

"Coming!" they answered in unison. Hermione turning to grab her things when she found they weren't there; the trunk gone the same as Crookshankes.

"What the--?"

"The Burrow." Harry answered having seen them pop out of existence, his body already down the stairs.

"Alright then, grab a tight hold onto me Harry." the Headmistress retorted, upon seeing them resurface from Hermione's bedroom.

Hermione who was seventeen already had her license to apparate unlike himself and Harry felt rather foolish having to grab onto the Headmistress just to apparate.

"Count of three," she said. "One, two and three."

Harry felt the pull at the back of his navel for the second time that day, his body being pushed from every angle, the air nearly gone from his lungs and then the familiar sudden relief. Sighing he wondered if he would ever get use to apparating and upon deciding that he would not he saw the Burrow, home to his friend Ron and his family; his second home from Hogwarts. Hermione who looked rather pleased with herself, lead them to the front door of the Weasley's home, the door swinging open before anyone could knock, Mrs. Weasley who normal would have been smiling from ear to ear upon seeing the two familiar friend's of her son, she instead wore a scowl that would have made Uncle Vernon proud.

"What were you three thinking!" she demanded, rushing them inside, making sure no one else had followed, before shutting the door and rounding on them. "Going off on your own to go after You-Know-Who! Are you insane--- did you leave your mind in the brain room back at the Department of Mysterious?"

Ron waved meekly as he came into view with the twins Fred and George in tow, Mr. Weasley trailing behind as they approached the frightening scene hesitantly.

"How are you doing, Avril?" Mr. Weasley asked, the two reached out and shook hands.

"Very well, and yourself?" she said, the two trying to keep the conversation light.

"Good, good as can be with everything that's happened." he answered.

"Indeed." the Headmistress retorted, nodding her head in agreement, Mrs. Weasley abruptly only noticing the woman in grey.

"Oh my goodness, I'm terribly sorry," she said, reaching out shaking the woman's hand. "Some tea?"

The Headmistress put her hand up to refuse. "That's quite alright, a lot to do. Still several places to go and things to sort out."

Mrs. Weasley smiled sweetly, "Oh, of course dear, of course."

"So have you two decided then?" the younger of the two women asked, directing her question to the twins, who were smiling at each other.

"We'd love to," they said, in unison. "We've decided to take turns between the shop and school."

"Very good." the woman smiled, her eyes softening a bit, Harry noticed.

"Decided what?" Ron asked looking from George to Fred confused. "What do you mean between the shop and school?"

The others as well to the same extent seemed to be confused with the exception of the Headmistress and the twins.

"Teaching of course!" George and Fred answered in unison; their statement threw everyone into long stared stupefied gazes.

"What!" Hermione demanded, her jaw hanging open just like the rest of them.

"Professor Potter asked us if we'd like to teach a new elective course at Hogwarts and we agreed." Fred said, looking at them as if they were stupid.

"What new class?" Ron asked, obviously amused by the fact that he might be taking a class they were teaching.

"Dark Magical objects and their Dismantle." they said in unison again, George shoving his hands into to his pockets while Fred rolled forward and backwards happily on the heels of his shoes.

"Bloody hell I'm taking that class!" Harry and Ron abruptly said in unison, laughing at the possibilities.

* * *

_A/N: Yeah kind of long I know, don't kill me please! I thought it funny to have the twins teach a class. No plot holes so far I hope, if so they're probably more or less going to be explained later on in the story._

_I'm starting to wonder if I should blackmail for some reviews. I do like writing to write, but maybe I'll put up another chapter if I get a review or two. Like I've said before, watch it backfire on me…_


	5. Mandatory Course

_A/N: I own Harry Potter…in my mind. Y-e-a-h…damnit! OC's are mine, etc' etc' etc'_

* * *

_**  
**_

**_ Chapter 5: Mandatory Course_**

"You've got to be kidding me!" Hermione retorted after Harry retold what had happened earlier that day for Ron, from within Ron and Harry's room that they would be sharing until start of the term; the girl still perturbed about the twins teaching.

"I think she's brilliant," Ron said pushing Harry's trunk out of the way and taking a seat on it. "I mean Fred and George were always good at charming things. Look at those hats that the Ministry of Magic got from them. Just loads of 'em!"

"But to have them teaching a class!" she said looking to Harry for support in the matter.

Harry shook his head, refusing to be caught up in an argument he did not want to be part of, "How did she find out what we had planned to do?" he asked instead.

Ron and Hermione shrugged their shoulders, "I've no clue, mate, but mum got an owl this morning and before I could even grab a piece of toast she was lettin' me have it. Dad even got mad and started in on me," Ron retorted. "Dad usual let's mum do the yelling. It was rather scary to see him angry."

"Obviously someone overheard us and told her." said Hermione.

"I wonder where she got off to." Harry wondered aloud, remembering that she had agreed to take him to Godric's Hollow and to his parent's grave.

"Probably to convince the teachers to come back---," Ron retorted, "what the bloody hell?" the black and white dog suddenly came padding into the room, gave a muffled bark and sat right in the doorway, watching them.

"For pete-sake Ron, it's her dog," Hermione laughed. "His name is Helios."

Harry joined in the laughter as Ron tossed the Daily Prophet at her head, the front cover floating by and landing on the dusty floor at his feet. The large bold red text catching Harry's eye and he quickly snatched it up. Sure enough there on the front cover was a picture of Hogwarts under the header that read:

_**HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT**_

_**AND WIZARDRY TO STAY OPEN**_

_The currently active Auror and one of the Seven_

_Avril Potter(no relation to Harry Potter)_

_was announced today to take the open_

_position of Headmaster at Hogwarts School of_

_Witchcraft and Wizardry. With the backing of the Ministry_

_of Magic, and Miss Potter's history, the attack on Hogwarts_

_by Death Eaters(pg23) is said to no longer be a_

_worry to the families who have students returning there_

_for the next start of term. "Avril Potter is one of the most celebrated_

_Dark Wizard catchers, one among the Seven UCS'(unforgivable curses spellcaster)_

_that we have. If anything was to happen with her there, which_

_I doubt it would, it should be the Death Eaters that you _

_should worry for." Minister of Magic Scrimgeour was quoted _

_as saying. "Albus Dumbledore himself requested that she be_

_put on the Seven, and to find her at his most beloved school_

_watching and protecting over his students would have made him proud."_

_(Dumbledore pg26) Arthur Weasley, a worker at the Ministry of Magic in __Head_

_of Detection and Confiscation of Counterfeit Defensive Spells and Protective_

_Objects, when asked if his family would be returning to Hogwarts_

_he said, "I trust Avril Potter with my family's lives completely. Not only_

_is Dumbledore's magic ingrained in Hogwarts, but the Ministry of Magic_

_has decided to double its protection both inside and out. All the_

_grounds have been set up with some very heavy and hard counter_

_and protection spells as are all the teachers having an extensive background check."_

_According to insider sources, anyone who even tries to enter into Hogwarts_

_grounds with Dark objects or other such things with get a one way_

_ticket to Azkaban. With Avril Potter at the helm the_

_Ministry of Magic is cracking down, (cont' pg43)_

"Extensive background checks?" Harry asked, looking up from the article, his glasses slipping down his nose.

"Yeah, they don't go into much detail about it do they? I guess the Ministry wouldn't want them to in case some idiots still all for You-Know-Who would try and do a switcher-roo on them with one of the teachers." Ron retorted, looking down at the page that was still dangling from Harry's hands.

"Doubling the protection--- what is that going to do? It didn't help when Draco let all his Death Eater buddies into the castle through the wardrobe." Harry growled, crumbling up the paper, tossing it to the floor.

"I'm sure they've thought of loads of things Dumbledore didn't…," Harry shot Ron an angered look, "maybe." Ron mumbled.

"There're probably really complex intruder charms and stealth sensory spells." Hermione stated, trying to convince them.

"From what I've heard so far from mum and dad's conversations is that there hasn't been one student whose parents have decided to keep them away from Hogwarts! There are even loads of first years coming in." Ron retorted, shifting in his seat as he tucked a leg under himself.

"That can't be possible," Hermione looked exasperated. "I'm sure some people aren't going to be coming back."

Ron nodded his head at her, "Of course some people aren't going to be coming back, but I bet it's only a small group." he said.

"Hopefully most of the Slytherin's." Harry said, smiling softly getting a laugh from Ron and Hermione.

"Now that would be bloody wonderful!" Fred said, suddenly his form leaned against the doorframe. Helios briefly looked up at him before he padded forward and rested his head in Harry's lap, snorting in his scent. "I don't think I could take teaching them."

"I still can't believe that you two are going to be teaching." Hermione said, looking at him as if he was ridiculously even still thinking about it.

"Miss. Granger I think you should watch your mouth," George said, abruptly appearing the two smiling together. "With you lot taking our class you'll lose more points for Gryffindor in a week than anyone else."

"And who said I'm taking your class?" she demanded, eyeing them suspiciously.

"Headmistress is who," Ron suddenly interrupted. "It was in mum's letter she got. I snuck a peek at it, just before you guys came. It said that the three of us would be taking a new mandatory course."

"Mandatory?" Hermione snapped. "I thought it was an elective. Elective implying you could _choose_ to take the course if you wanted to?"

"Yeah, but not for you prat's," George smirked. "You Miss. Granger are stuck with us all term whether you like it—,"

"Or not." they said in unison, smirking broadly before leaving, mumbling something about pulling a prank on Fleur.

Ron shut the door to Harry and Hermione's curiosity, "Well that makes perfect sense." he said.

"How does that make sense?" Hermione demanded, crossing her arms, staring down at Ron even from her stout position on the edge of the bed.

"What's the name of the class Hermione?" Ron questioned.

"Wha--?"

"The name Hermione."

The girl rolled her eyes, "Dark Magical objects and their Dismantle."

Both Harry and Ron waited for their friend to catch up.

"Wha—Oh!"

Harry laughed, "I was wondering when you were gonna catch on."

"Do you think they'll do a lesson on horcruxes?" she asked, just about whispering, looking between the two nervously.

"What other reason would the Headmistress have to make the class mandatory for us?" Ron retorted, looking around to see that it had started to get dark outside. "There she is!" he said pointing outside to the approaching figure.

"Finally!" Harry sighed, rushing himself down the stairs with his friends following close behind, Helios at his heels.

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_  
A/N: Yeah short chapter, the next one is already typed up, but just not done as far as I'm can tell you. Working on a different one right now, so won't be up til sometime later this week. Sorry! If you're confused keeping reading to have your questions answered!_

_  
Review please!_


	6. Back Home to Hogwarts

_A/N: I don't own anyone…except Avril and others that might show up. So I lied and the this chapters up,_

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_**  
Chapter 6: Back Home to Hogwarts**_

Already sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of tea in front of her when Harry and the others hit the last step, she looked tired and exhausted; her features dark in the candle light coming from the middle of the table, the hushed conversation that had been going on stopped upon the entrance of Harry, Ron and Hermione.

"You ready Harry?" she asked, her voice weak.

"Yeah." Harry answered; taking in her appearance, he saw that her cheekbones were sunk in a bit more and her eyes had dark circles under them that were not there when she left them that afternoon.

"Take care you three," Mrs. Weasley said, hugging them tightly one by one. "Be mindful of what the Professor says alright?"

"We will mum, it's not like we're going to be gone for days!" said Ron while Mr. Weasley smiled softly.

"Alright then you three," she stood and gave Harry a firm grip around his arm, her hand extending to Ron's shoulder seemingly knowing that his friend could not apparate properly. "Godric's Hollow. One, two and three."

Once more, and more than likely not the last time, Harry felt the pull at his navel, smashing from all sides and familiar relief.

Godric's Hollow stood before him, the place of his birth and his parent's death, and Harry suddenly did not think he had it in him to be there and found himself backing up unconsciously. Unexpectedly he felt a hand at the small of his back, the older woman who stood only a few inches taller than himself looked ahead with determination in her eyes and comforted by this somehow his feet lead him forward. The village looked completely uninhabited; no lights from neighboring homes were on as they passed up the main street, no one was outside, it only being a few hours after dusk Harry found it weird, but knew that the village was indeed empty. Empty since the two murders that took place there, since Peter Pettigrew betrayed his mother and father, since Voldemort left the lightning bolt shaped scar on his forehead. Harry realized how alone he truly was as the woman lead them to a graveyard.

"Four rows back and six headstones left from here." The older woman suddenly said.

"You're not coming?" Ron asked his voice soft as he looked at her for an answer.

"I'm afraid not. Not this time." she said, voice still weak, sounded if anything more so then ever.

Hermione and Ron looked to Harry as he nodded, lighting up his wand and leading the way.

"_Four in, six left,"_ Harry repeated in his mind. _"---six left."_

"Harry, their right here." Hermione said, her voice practically inaudible as she stood bathed softly in the light from a picture above the conjoined headstones, the image repeating endlessly.

The same image, Harry had a picture of in his photo album of his parent's dancing under the fall leaves, smiling happily at each other. Harry broke down, kneeling in front of the headstone, reaching out touching it softly as he read the epitaph:

_**James & Lily Potter**_

_Beloved parents and  
Fierce friends  
Rest in peace_

"Harry." Hermione whispered kneeling as well and wrapping him in her arms, Ron's hand gripped his friend's shoulder supportively.

"I'm gonna kill him. He has taken everything from me," Harry snarled. "My mum and dad, Sirius…Dumbledore… I'm going to teach him that there are worst things then death."

**-**+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

It was not long before Harry found himself sitting in his usual Hogwarts school robes and uniform at the Gryffindor table. Not really paying much attention as the food suddenly popped into existence in front of him on the long table, when a hush had suddenly fallen and Harry turned his head to see what had caused it, to find the new Headmistress at the front of the podium.

"I am Professor Potter, the new Headmistress for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I would first like to thank each and every one of who you who not only believed in me, but in that of the Ministry of Magic and your teachers in the protection of you and this wondrous school," she paused watching the reactions of the students in the Great Hall. "I know how hard it is in these dark times to find courage and strength of heart. To learn the difference between taking the easy way and what is the right way,"

Many of the older students nodded in agreement at the Gryffindor table as well as the other house tables.

"A great man told me once, when I was but a student here, that when everything seems lost and hope is no longer visible on the horizon and you're shrouded in darkness…," the torches in the Great Hall suddenly died out, broken screams erupting across the Hall, when the Headmistress' voice broke through the darkness.

"That if we'd only remember that hope and light spring from the most unlikeliest of places."

Softly light poured down from above the heads of the students drawing the Halls attention up to the enchanted ceiling that shined with millions of stars, swirling nebulas, shooting stars and scenes of distant outer space many believed they would never see; the celestial light filling the Great Hall. Faintly the torches lit themselves and fire light returned to fill the Great Hall.

"Before we are full and in need of some serious sleep, first let me introduce four of our teachers." the Headmistress turned, hand out stretched to the right side of the table behind herself.

"Harry look!" Hermione suddenly gasped. "It's Professor Lupin!"

Harry whipped his vision around and sure enough there sat their once third year DADA Professor, Remus Lupin with whom he had seen over the summer. Harry could not help but smile brightly, upon seeing his face for the second time since the funeral of the former Headmaster. His once then stubble now a full clean looking, short beard that diminished slightly as it rose up his jaw line and his light brown sandy hair mussed and a bit longer as his hair covered and brushed his forehead just about his eyebrows slightly. Harry thought he must have colored it, because the once grey bits of color were gone and he looked healthier then he had in awhile. His face just as pale as it was usually a week before the full moon, in which Harry believed would be later that week given how pale the DADA Professor indeed looked.

"Let us welcome Professor Lupin who as consented to once more being our Defense against the Dark Art Instructor," Remus stood up and bowed briefly under all the applause that had erupted in the Great Hall especially from the Gryffindor table.

"How did she get around the Werewolf laws?" Ron whispered looking between his friend's.

"Also Professor Slughorn has agreed to stay on with us as our Potions master," more applause erupted this time from the Slytherin table, "to introduce my staffs' two newer additions I first have to tell you of the new course being offered called, Dark Magical objects and their Dismantle. A class that I find to be especially needed in these times with the schools previous happenings, but am stressed by its Professor's that it is only being offered to sixth and seventh years due to its difficult task level,"

The door off to the right of the podium abruptly opened and two cloaked figures in dark robes made their way inside, shaking off the cloaks, giving tell that it was truly raining outside, the opposite of the enchanted ceilings imagery.

"Professor's Fred and George Weasley." the Great Hall went into amused and amazed hushed discussions.

"You guys look at the other teachers." Harry said, shaking Ron's arm to draw his attention from the unexpected questions thrown his way from nearby people.

"What?" Ron mumbled looking to the staff table at the very front of the Great Hall. Nearly all the teacher's had bewildered and befuddled expressions on their faces.

"Oh my god, you can't tell me that we're the only ones who knew." Hermione sighed, as a smile crept up her face.

"McGonagall looks like she's gonna tear her hair out." Ron retorted, pressing his head against the table in a fit of laughter.

Lifting her hand the Hall grew silent like it often did for Dumbledore when the call for attention was drawn.

"A few announcements before we eat. N.E.W.T testing this term will be held in June on the twenty-ninth and the thirtieth for all seventh years. O.W.L.'s for all fifth years will be held on April thirtieth and the Quidditch try outs are to be held two weeks from now," the Headmistress paused apparently taking in the looks of the students. "I cannot stress the need for sleep enough to our fifth and seventh years. Study as hard as you may, but remember, that in slumber that our energy is regained and our minds once more ready to be sharpened; now let's eat!"

Cheers and applause broke out across the entire hall, people happy to find the school still in full swing while others were just happy to stuff their faces; Ron and Harry being less of the latter

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A/N: I couldn't help but laugh while writing this…well at least the end bits with the teachers looking stupefied! Lol! Keep reading to find out about any questions you might have!_

_P.S. If there's anything you'd like to see put in the story review to let me know!_

_Review please!_


	7. That in Itself is Power

_A/N: Long chapter! Watch out now! Lol. Had to take a break on this one because I was rather stuck with how to approach this, but now it got worked out and is done…well the chapter at least._

_I don't own Harry Potter, bla, bla, bla!_

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**Chapter 7 - That in Itself is Power**

Harry and Ron traded class schedules to see if they still had breaks together, though to their annoyance Hermione stated that Harry would probably be busy with his lessons with the Headmistress if she was actually going to have two or three lessons with him a week.

"Why in the world would she teach him on his breaks, she'd want him to get his work done? Especially with all our teachers giving us homework on the first day!" Ron said. "I still can't wait for Fred and George's class though!"

"Me either," Hermione replied, looking up from her bit of parchment about the House Elf rights she was doodling at.

Harry and Ron stared at her with odd expressions glued to their face before they burst out into laughter.

"What?" she demanded, watching Harry and Ron practically rolling on the floor.

"You? You can't wait?" Harry breathed, trying not to laugh any harder for fear of getting a terrible stitch in his side.

"Oh, shut up!" she smiled

"Hey, Harry!" Neville Longbottom smiled digging through his bag, pulling out a small piece of rolled parchment. "I was supposta give this to you after classes."

"Thanks Neville!" Harry said taking the parchment, knowing it might be from the Headmistress, but not wanting to open in it in front of him. "So how you doin'?"

"Great! Grams is still proud as ever about the Ministry deal with us all going to help you out," Neville smiled softly. "Got a new plant! I'll show it to you sometime!"

Harry stuck his hands up defensively. "As long as it doesn't spout green goo all over me!" he said, remembering Neville poking his plant on the train at the start of their fifth year and being covered in its defensive ooze.

Neville flushed red a bit. "Yeah sorry about that…I promise not to cover you in goo this time," he smiled. "See you later Harry!"

Ron and Hermione snatched themselves in next to Harry on the couch as he unrolled the letter to find hand writing similar to his own that he did not recognize, but a bit more surprised by who it was from.

_Dear Harry_

_The Headmistress as asked me to write to_

_You and remind you of your meeting with her that is_

_To take place tonight at 9:30 P.M._

_I do hope she takes it easy on you. She can _

_Be rather hard to her assigned rookies, _

_Well in this case students. Please keep in mind she__'__s_

_Not as bad as she may seem. Also if you__'__ve the time I__'__d_

_Like you to stop by my classroom on your way._

_- Lupin_

Harry read the letter over again to make sure of the time and quickly glanced at his watch to see it was going on nine o'clock.

"Why do you think he wants to see you?" Hermione asked, looking back through the letter as Harry packed his textbooks back into his bag and disappearing up into his dorm.

Ron shrugged his shoulders and said, "Maybe just to see how he's doing," his wand waved softly, making his quill dance. "We haven't seen him since end of last term."

"Sounds suspicious to me," Hermione said, shaking her head, handing it off to Harry as he reappeared without his bag in a worn out grey T-Shirt that said something on it at one point, but was completely gone by then.

"What does?" Harry asked, stuffing the parchment into his back pocket as he shoved his slipping glasses back up his nose.

"Well, why didn't she just write you, why have Professor Lupin?" she asked, stealing herself another piece of parchment to start on her History of magic homework about Centaur and human controlled societies and their differences. "And why did he say 'to remind you of your meeting'. You didn't know about a meeting did you?"

"No she never told me, just didn't want Lupin to get suspicious probably. Later!" He mumbled, dashing out the hole behind the portrait of the fat lady.

"What? That makes no sense!" he heard Hermione call after him, but his feet were carrying him too fast as he raced to the second level DADA classroom, glancing at his watch.

**-**+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

Knocking quickly, Harry found himself tapping his foot exasperatedly, wanting to find out what the Headmistress would be teaching him besides the obvious, the side trip taking up too much of his time. The door opened swiftly, but before Harry could step in, Lupin stepped out shutting it behind him with a click.

"I'll talk to you on the way," Lupin smiled, directing for Harry to lead. "I know you're in a hurry."

Harry felt bad suddenly, wondering if the Order member was reading his mind; Harry hoped not.

"I guess you're wondering why I wrote to you about your meeting and not the Headmistress hmm?" Lupin questioned, shoving his hands into the pockets of his black trousers as he walked along with Harry.

"Sort of," Harry confessed, keeping his eyes ahead of him, having walked into too many walls before when not paying attention to count.

"Professor Potter was a bit busy at the time so she asked me in passing," Lupin smiled. "Though when I asked her what you were meeting about she wouldn't tell me. Her excuse for her secrets is always 'Auror business, Auror business'."

"_That's a rather good excuse,"_ Harry thought, wondering if he could one day use it.

"Though I guess if I asked you, you couldn't tell me either," Lupin said directing them along the corridors at a swift pace.

"I don't really know, she never told me what she wanted to meet me about," Harry lied, knowing full well that they were going to go diving into more of Voldemort's past if anything else.

"I see," The DADA professor said, humbling nodding his head.

"Professor can I ask you something?" Harry was going to attempt to get some of the answers to his questions out of Lupin if he could before seeing the Headmistress.

"Of course Harry."

"Well I was wondering if you might know if Professor Potter and I are related," Harry asked, coming to a stop with Lupin just outside of the rotating gargoyles; Harry could not even quite remember climbing the moving stairs to the gargoyle-guarded entrance of the Headmistress' office. "I mean I figured you'd know because you, Sirius and my dad were friends."

Lupin sighed and mumbled something that Harry did not catch; the gargoyles jumping out of the way to reveal the hidden stairs,

"I'm afraid I don't know that one Harry," he said, smiling apologetically. "Neither James nor Lily said anything about having another family member at school at that time."

The teen seemed to deflate very much like his father use to before he said, "I just thought I'd ask."

"Are you asking because of your shared surname?" Lupin asked, with a bit of sadness in his eyes.

"Well, I mean that got my interest, but we sort of look alike. I mean while we don't have the same eyes because I've got my mum's but--- then again my dad had hazel didn't he, so that rules that out," Harry said, his eyes wondering over the stone stairs, "I don't know, I just sort of felt this connection with her, like we clicked when I met her…though I wasn't trusting of her at first…I probably sound odd saying that about a teacher," he chuckled softly.

"Not at all," Lupin smiled warmly. "For people like you and I, who have no immediate relatives that you're close to or none at all, you start to long for someone to call family."

The teenager sighed and give a bit of a forced laugh when he said, "I guess I'll be saying next that Moaning Myrtle is related to me!"

Lupin gave a short snort and smiled, "Let's hope not."

Harry mumbled a 'Thank you' before he climbed onto the stairs that rotated in a circle as he stepped through the open doors of the Headmistress' office.

It looked exactly the same as though Dumbledore were still the schools Headmaster; nothing seemed out of place with the exception that Fawkes the Phoenix that had saved his life on numerous occasions was no longer there, the stand that once held him gone as well and Helios lay on the floor where it once stood. Helios' collar catching the light off of the roaring fireplace as the flames leapt higher, the dog rolling over a bit to warm his belly. Harry looked around to realize that he was alone and the Headmistress was nowhere in sight at the same time as he took a seat. Reaching out to scratch at Helios' belly he watched the dog kick his leg in his unconscious happiness and he chuckled looking down at his collar the simply stated who he was and where to leave him if lost.

"Sorry to keep you waiting Mr. Potter," the voice startled Harry and he stood his wand at the ready; it was instinct that had cropped up over the years.

The Headmistress eyed his wand precariously, smiling suddenly as her hand gestured for him to take his seat again and she took her own behind the grand old polished oak desk.

"Am I right to assume that Professor Lupin explained why it was not I who wrote to you?" she asked.

"Yes," he said simply.

"Good," she said, tapping her wand against a red mug that sat at her desk, that Harry had not noticed before. The older woman smiled softly as the boy watched her cautiously. "Why don't I tell you what you'll be learning with me?"

Harry nodded his head.

"Very good," she said, taking a sip from her mug. Harry could smell the sweet aroma of coffee imitated from it briefly. "As you know, 'both cannot survive will the other lives'. So do you know what that in tales doing Harry?" she asked, finally using his first name sort of gave the teen a start, but he answered nonetheless.

"Yes, but how do you know about the prophesy?"

"If you say you do; then tell me what it is that you must do," she was avoiding his question and Harry wanted to know who had told her. Only four people knew about the prophesy and that included himself, Dumbledore, Snape and Voldemort, but then again only two of the four knew the whole thing so that only meant one thing--- Dumbledore had told her, but when and why?

"I've got to kill him," Harry said, feeling rather annoyed at this question, it was obvious what he had to do.

"And how do you plan to do this?"

"To get the rest of the bits of Voldemort's soul out of the horcruxes he made and kill him with the killing curse!" Harry spat getting angry, but wondering how far she would allow him to go like Dumbledore had when the boy had smashed all his trinkets around the room.

The Headmistress cocked an eyebrow, but she pressed on. "Really? From what I heard you don't have the meaning, the want behind the use of the forbidden curses."

"What's the supposta mean?" Harry demanded, gripping the edge of his seat, his knuckles turning gleaming white under the fireplaces flames.

"It means exactly that. You didn't have it in you to hurt Bellatrix that night at the Ministry of Magic despite the fact that her spell blew your godfather, Sirius Black into the Veil and you won't have it in you when you're face to face with him will you? If every one of your escapes from his clutches were merely luck you will die when it comes down to it," she said, matter-of-factly, her voice was soft and with no hints of malice.

"ARE YOU SAYING I DIDN'T CARE THAT SHE KILLED SIRIUS?" Harry roared getting to his feet. "THAT ALL I HAVE BEEN DOING UP UNTIL NOW IS WORTHLESS BECAUSE IT WAS NEVER REALLY ME, BUT LUCK AND OTHER PEOPLE SAVING ME? YOU WEREN'T THERE WHEN PETTIGREW KILLED CEDRIC AND VOLDEMORT CAME BACK OR WHEN BELLATRIX KILLED SIRIUS!!"

"Thank you," she said suddenly throwing Harry into a bewildered expression, his anger at its boiling point rapidly seemed to simmer. "That is what you need to kill him. Though pluck the anger out and leave the love is what Dumbledore would say."

"WHAT?" Harry shouted, gripping his wand so tightly he was rather frightened he'd break it; loosened his grip.

The Headmistress stood unexpectedly sweeping down upon him, her long slender fingers wrapping about his arms. "Your love for your friends, your mother and father, Sirius and all the others that is what will help you finish off Voldemort once and for all. Don't you see Harry? Your outburst just now wasn't because you were purely mad, it was because you believed that I thought you did not care for them enough, that you did not _love_ them enough. That in itself is your power."

"What?" Harry's voice had lowered considerably as he weighed in what she had just said.

"Voldemort loves no one, he cares for no one. He is selfish and thinks only of himself, how to save and protect himself," she smiled her grip still on his arms. "Now think of a picture frame and of all of those that you love and care for and put them into that picture. Those are the people that you must protect; yes they can protect themselves for the glass they are behind is their own shield, but you Harry are the frame that holds them together, that keeps them from harm. Your love for those people will protect them as your mother's love for you protected you in your time of need."

Harry could feel his heart beating so fast he was worried it would pull out of his chest. Why had Dumbledore never truly explained it like she just had, why did he leave him in the dark to wonder how love could help him kill the most feared Wizard in the world?

"I was supposta figure that out on my own…is that why Dumbledore didn't tell me?" Harry asked, looking to her calm features.

"Yes I suppose," she answered, and the boy suddenly felt the same disappointment wash over him like he had the night when Dumbledore had asked if he had gotten Slughorn to give him his proper memory. It felt as though he had failed him again. "But you knew it all along did you not Harry--- that this is what it would turn out to be?"

He shook his head; he truthfully had pushed it from his mind despite the old Headmaster's somewhat consent reminder of the matter.

"Well then I will teach you something Dumbledore could not have done for his time with you was short," she said.

Sweeping away from him just as she had seconds ago, her feet carried her on past her desk and down the small set of stairs that resided some feet away behind her desk. Harry had never been down in Dumbledore's study that was at the very back of the room, hidden under the balcony above it. Professor Potter gestured for Harry to join her. Curiosity was enough for Harry to follow suit. Within the small study, a two person bench rested under a smaller table to his right that was attached to the stone wall. The table covered in bits of parchment and, small silver and golden trinkets Harry had never seen before. The room was cluttered of odds and ends; several Sneak-A-Scopes's littered another bench in front of the moderately sized color plated window, while other objects were attached to the wall that Harry having no clue as to what they were; wanted to touch them. Though the voice in the back of his mind said that it wasn't always a bright idea to go touching things you don't know about, unless you'd like to have your finger bit off by accident. Professor Potter stood next to a huge cloth rug that hung on the wall opposite the table of none other than Dumbledore himself. The previous Headmaster smiled at Harry and gave a wink; his blue eyes twinkling full of mischief.

"Excuse me Albus," she said, smiling warmly.

"Of course," the portrait of Dumbledore on the rug replied.

Professor Potter drew back the large rug to reveal the same flag stoned wall that ran about the room. She must have caught Harry's perplexed expression, because she laughed and set the rug up on a great hook in the wall to keep it from falling back into place. Taking out her wand, she tapped it against several different stones in the wall as though one would to get into Diagon Alley. Abruptly, a rune symbol flared into existence across the small bit of flag stoned wall, followed by quite a few smaller ones; incasing the larger symbol in an ornamental circle. The study, bathed in an iridescent green glow, casted their shadows sharply against the walls.

Harry covered his eyes slightly against the blinding light whilst a door began to mold out of the wall. Brown etched along the door as though it was being painted into reality before him by an invisible artist. Wood tightened and creaked under what seemed to be the heavy stress of its creation, while grey molded and twisted into silver chains shackled against the now heavy wooden door. Each link in the chains where huge enough that Harry thought he might fit one easily about him.

Giving her wand a wave the chains pulled back from the wall with a great groan as metal shrieked, melting into the door itself whereas it creaked inward; Harry's curiosity rose with each second.

"With me Harry you shall dive farther into Voldemort's past and a few choice others as well. Now tell me do you know why I have made it mandatory for you, Miss. Granger and Mr. Weasley to take Dark Magical Objects and their Dismantle?" she said, looking into Harry's green eyes that many said were his mothers.

"To kill the bits of Voldy's soul in the horcruxes," Harry tried to say confidently, but wasn't quite sure if that would be the given.

"Yes," she smiled quite proud of her student. "As you noticed Dumbledore's arm at the beginning of term last year it was dark, burnt and crippled. Do you know why?"

"Something to do with Marvolo's ring. He didn't explain it thoroughly," said Harry.

"Correct," she said, her fingers wrapped about the door handle that had gradually appeared casting shape out of the same wood, not yet letting Harry see inside despite the boys' wondering eyes. "Though Dumbledore was the most powerful wizard I know and I believe still is even past his death he was unable to prevent this from happening. Voldemort's protective spells on his horcruxes are strong and full of dark magic. It is my believe that those that are left will prove to be just as difficult because they would be his most prized pieces due to their connection with the schools founders."

"So Fred and George can help me from getting hurt like that, even though Dumbledore got hurt himself?" questioned Harry, etching closer to the door.

"Yes, but you've to understand that Dumbledore in my belief, did not think that there would be spells _on_ it itself, but merely _around_ its protection. The diary that he put his soul into was an example of how careless Voldemort was and maybe he might not be as careless with the rest, yet maybe the protection around the items might be less fierce some so Albus did not anticipate or feel out the dark spells encasing the ring thusly getting hurt," she answered watching Harry's eyes looking at the door suspiciously and curiously. "I have asked the Professor's to do a lesson specifically surrounding that of horcruxes and how to dismantle them need be."

Harry looked at her at this bit of information. "You've told them about Voldemort's horcruxes?" he demanded, rather than questioned.

The Headmistress merely smiled at his escalating voice. "No. I gave them a thoroughly good excuse about how as an Auror I've come across several Dark Wizards' horcruxes and that in these dark times it would be best to let our students know how to deal with one if ever the occasion might arise."

"And they believed you?" Harry asked incredulously.

"Yes," her smile faded and she looked rather dark abruptly. "I have come across them before in my line of work and they are not a nice thing to even consider picking up. When the wizard or witch decides to do it I've had some just leave them around the house so that some unsuspecting victim would touch it and with all its dark protective spells on it, would either be killed or hurt beyond help."

Silence fell between the two and Harry looked around the small cramped study, beneath the balcony to see Helios still sleeping soundly in spite of Harry's angry outburst in front of the crackling fire; warming his belly.

"So I'm going with you when you find one?" Harry asked; still slight unsure of the woman.

"Yes," answered the Headmistress watching him closely.

"Good."

"Yes indeed," she retorted. "Very well then let me tell you that I will inform you when I've found one, once we have gone through a bit of Voldy's past, in search of where he might have hid them."

Harry watched her black hair slip over shoulder as she tried to brush it away seemingly annoyed with its presents. "So what's in the room?" he asked directing his line of vision to the crack between the door and the frame it sat attached to.

"That is the second part of your lessons with me and the reason why you'll be visiting me two times a week," she answered softly; her hand that held onto the knob of the door released it with an inward push, giving show to Harry, what he speculated lay beyond the door

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A/N: No plot holes yet! Things do get explained. You don't wanna read the first few chapters of a book and then skip to the end to find out what happened do you?! You'll get even more confused! Lol. Keep reading!_

_Blackmailing for some reviews! Give me at least three and I'll put up the next chapter! I'm a review whore like that…I think…_


	8. A Familiar Home

_A/N: Another long chapter, don't hate me for it please! I don't own Harry Potter…YET! Lol_

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Chapter 8: A Familiar Home**_

The door swung open to reveal to the seventeen-year-old boy but that of a plain, empty, white room that seemed to span onward forever. Similar in color and just as plain, pillars of great reach spanned upward seemingly to no end holding up a nonexistence ceiling and Harry found himself rather transfixed by the simple bare white room. If it had not been for the shadows the pillars were causing against the blank floor, he would not have known they were there, but as to what was causing the shadows he could not ascertain for there was no visible light source.

"What is this place?" he inquired not daring to step inside for the indistinct hesitation of the effect.

"It is similar in theory to the Room-of-Requirement." the woman responded, peering inside just as vigilantly as the adolescent did.

Harry did not question as to how the Headmistress knew about the Room-of-Requirement, for maybe she had used it when she was but a student there. Instead, he put forward another question.

"What does it do?"

She chuckled unexpectedly, "What does it do?" she asked, and with sudden fortitude, she said. "It does whatever you want it to do."

Harry looked into her eyes for the woman was merely a few inches taller than he was and he saw a hint of mischief deep within the blue spheres.

"So it's another Room-of-Requirement." he retorted, looking back into the empty room.

"In theory yes," she smiled. "I want you to think of the place you love the most…next to Hogwarts of course."

"That's easy. The Burrow, it's where Ron lives."

"Now step inside the room." she said, directing him inside by his arm, rather pushed then electively letting him go.

Trainers stumbled across white marble floor, his reflection so adamantly visible the flooring could have been an exceedingly large mirror, but then something inexplicable happened. The floor began to grow! Harry's eyes engrossed by this, if he had happened to look up he might have noticed the large tree's off to his left sprouting up and the mysterious making of the small pond filling out space to his right. Wood of different colors and kinds rose out of seemingly nothing to build and assemble into a familiar home but a good walking distance in front of him. Instead, his eyes watched the grass grow beneath his feet and weeds of diverse kinds popping up out of the ground as dirt and gravel filled in a large width of space beside him.

"What the…" Harry mumbled finally looking up to see the place that he loved most-- The Burrow.

The odd house with its upper levels balanced precariously on stilts held in place magically, the ducks in the pond just down from the house squawked and splashed around under the hot summer sun while people filed out of the house, their familiar red flaming hair telling Harry who they were.

"C'mon Harry! Mum says dinners done!" Ron called out his older brothers shoving him who in similar hair color stood taller than the rest.

"Yeah Harry hurry it up or we'll eat it all!" George and Fred called out in unison.

Harry could not help but smile as they waved at him to hurry when a breeze blew past him and Hermione's well-known bushy brown hair caught his sight.

"Better hurry up Harry or they really will eat it all!" Hermione laughed giving Harry a playful shove before she jogged off in good spirits.

"Hermione…," Harry trailed off his hand unexpectedly clutched in a recognizable grasp, his fingers intertwining instantly with theirs as their known scent of flowers wafted in the air, "Ginny." he smiled, brightly at the young girl with whom he had dated, but for what seemed only a few days last term.

She pulled at his arm softly with her free hand smiling cheerfully as she attempted to tug the boy along, his feet following suit when a hand seized his shoulder without warning drawing him back somewhat. The teens' head turned around to see the Headmistress grasping onto him tightly as though with fear, but none could be seen within her eyes for her facial expression stayed that of a blank canvas as Harry felt Ginny release his hand with a grin, dashing off into the house after Hermione.

"Why did…" the boy cut off when a woman's voice drew his attention from the Headmistress.

"Harry honey what are you doing standing around for? Your father's going to eat your share if you don't get in here now while you've the chance." Harry felt his heart practically rip from his chest as he stared back into the same green eyes of his mother, her red long hair trailing past her shoulders and her cheeks slightly rosy in color gave tell she had been slaving above a hot stove. Her slender hands wiped themselves off on the small dishtowel hung over her shoulder, her smiling form beckoning Harry to join her.

"Mum." his voice practically a whisper Harry wanted to run to her, to hug her in his arms, but the increasingly tightening grip on his shoulder refused to let him go.

Another voice ripped through the air and Harry felt his heart wrench.

"What in Merlin's beard are you doing Harry?" a man similar in Harry's height and stature took stand next to the figure of his mother. His black hair unkempt and untidy stuck up in the back no matter how much one tried to flatten it out--- just like his son.

"Dad…," tears prickled at the back of Harry's eyes, his yearn to run to them overwhelming but his knowledge kicking him un-thoughtfully as to remind of the infinite impossibility. "this isn't possible...their…their dead."

"Indeed," the older woman beside him replied softly her firm grip still upon his shoulder. "though what you see maybe real in its own manner as Ms. Granger's playfully shoving you or the simple touch of Miss. Weasley's hand it is all but things you have already felt or experienced. This is a very dangerous room for anyone who enters unknowing of its magic or even to those with knowledge of it; if oneself can be easily overcome this room can bring about your worst memories or even more worse still-- your nightmares."

The figures of his mother and father still appealed to him, waving to come inside for dinner with his friends and to enjoy a good home cooked meal. The steady hold on his shoulder jerked him back causing Harry to stagger out of the invisible doorway, the room instantly changing back into the simple, plain, white, endless marble flooring and pillars.

"It's called The Room-of-Betrayal," the Headmistress said firmly. "you must never come in here alone without me. Do you understand?"

Harry nodded his head.

The Headmistress smiled softly in the face of what had taken place and said, "Good," her hand waved softly over the door and it creaked closing itself, the chains snaking back out and into the wall to hold the door firmly closed in place,

"We must never shut this door when we are inside. For the open door is our anchor to the world outside of the Room-of-Betrayal it is what will remind you that what you see in there is merely an illusion despite how real it might become." She directed him down the stairs and to a seat in front of her desk, the window underneath the small balcony of stairs showed the pitch-black grounds of the school.

"You saw the rooms' inconsistencies I may assume," she stated rather than asked leaning against the desk, her unpainted fingernails capturing the edge of the wood. "Those being your parents of course."

Barely able to speak Harry merely nodded his head a bit.

"If we had closed the door the room's magic would have befuddled us and had us thinking James and Lily had never died, that their deaths had never occurred at all and life was simply as it should be with them there. We might have never come out of the room because the enchantment of it all would be too great."

"You said that it could do something with your bad memories and nightmares. Why didn't it show mine?" Harry questioned, finding his hands still shaking slightly from the impossible encounter.

"You had thoughts of the Borrow in your mind when you entered not thoughts of Voldy or worse things you've seen plus knowledge is always power, but---" she smiled softly looking to his green eyes.

"Absolute power corrupts absolutely." retorted Harry, looking to Helios still sound asleep on the floor trying to find something else to concentrate on, but knew it would be hard to think of anything else but the vision of his parents.

"Correct," the Headmistress replied as she took the seat next to the young man her voice soft like his mothers had sounded within the Room-of-Betrayal. "with your consent Harry I would like to teach you the unforgiveable curses."

"What?" Harry mumbled at the unexpected audacity of such a statement, his eyes watching the Headmistress carefully.

She sighed softly and leaned back in her chair lifting its front legs off the ground, her blue and grey trainers planted against the edge of her desk that reminded him greatly of Sirius when he was younger in Snape's memory of their O.W.L testing. She certainly did not act like Dumbledore that was for sure, he never would have brought up something as tactless as her earlier statement--- or would he have in these times?

"You said yourself you will have to use the killing curse to do so," she said resting her eyes on something behind her desk. "you must have the meaning behind the casting of such spells,"

Seeing the teen glaring at her she pressed on.

"I'm not saying that you won't have it in you when the time comes but to practice and cast them nonverbally is always a good chance of your survival."

Harry looked rather confused. "Can you even cast them nonverbally? I mean I don't think the Death Eaters did when we were fighting them in the Department of Mysterious or…when Voldemort used Crusiotis on me in the grave yard,"

Harry tried to keep the memory of Cedric Diggory's death out of his mind, as far from his foremost thoughts as he could, but the boy he could not save would crop up when the reflection of Cho Chang swam into clear view.

"Snape made it evidently clear that the counters could be done nonverbally." spat Harry his anger boiling to the surface at even having the traitorous murders name hit his lips.

The feet of the chair crashed into the floor, the Headmistress stood making her way behind the polished desk to take a seat in its overly comfy looking arm chair and she took a sip of the coffee Harry had forgotten was there in its red mug; the sweet aroma filling his nose once again.

"Yes you can, but as to whether the Death Eaters can or cannot we will find out in time," retorted the Professor, her eyes watching the fire's flames lick at the inside of the hearth. "but until our next lesson I'd like to give you a reading assignment,"

Leaning forward a bit Harry tried catch sight of what she was writing down on a small piece of parchment.

"I believe if you ask Miss. Granger to look up this title in our library she will have no trouble getting it as where others might." the older woman said handing Harry the piece of parchment.

Harry read over the title, "In the Face of Death by Owen Sirocco?" the name sounded so familiar but he could not place.

The Headmistress simply peered back at Harry over the top of her folded hands, her elbows rested on the polished oak top of the desk as she watched him intently. Maybe she was more like Dumbledore then he thought. All she would need was the half moon spectacles, white-grey hair, to look a bit wrinkled, and she just might have been thought of as his long lost twin sister! The idea made Harry bite back a chuckle.

"I will send word of when we are to meet again," she made no move to stand. "good night Harry."

Harry stood stuffing the bit of parchment into his back pocket alongside the earlier letter received by Professor Lupin as he made his way out the double door to the rotating stairs.

"Professor…," Harry wanted to attempt his question of earlier once more.

"Yes?"

"Are we related in some way?" her expression stayed as still as stone, Harry trying to catch any signs of change, any signs that might give answer. "It's my own question not because Ron or Hermione wondered, but because I did."

"Because of our shared surname?" she asked. "Do you know how many people in England alone alive today that have the same last name of Potter?"

The teen shook his head feeling his hope that had cropped up over the past few weeks fading rapidly.

A small smile played at the corner of her lips, "Not that many."

Joy ripped through his chest as he stammered out more questions. "So we are related? What side? Are you a cousin or maybe an aunt or…"

"I believe that you should finish what homework you might have and get a good night's rest for tomorrow is the start of a new day." she said, appearing at his side, turning him about and directing him onto the rotating stairs.

"But wait!" Harry called out trying to go back up the stairs that were descending in the opposite direction.

"Good night, Mr. Potter."

* * *

_  
A/N: Keep reading to find out what's happening! The Room-of- Betrayal will be explained in a later chapter so don't feel lost. It was rather hard for me to explain it thoroughly in this chapter without making it longer than it already is._

_Review please!_


	9. All These Names

_**Chapter 9: All These Names**_

It did not take Harry long to recount everything that had happened that night to Hermione and Ron, but equally not long for Hermione to try and shoot down his she-is-related-to-me theory; needless to say Harry was still refusing to talk to her the next day even as their last class of the day rolled around. His anger toward her quickly forgotten as the trio stuffed themselves in the front row behind a three-seated desk in a classroom on the fifth floor for Dark Magical Objects and Their Dismantle.

"Wonder what kind of stuff they'll have. D'you reckon the Headmistress would let 'em bring cursed objects into school?" Ron asked, looking around to see that the elective course was quite full. All of the seats were taken and even some people where standing and sitting on the wood flooring stuffed along the edge of the classroom.

"I imagine so," Hermione retorted, looking rather exasperated. "Otherwise how would they teach us how to dismantle it?"

"Maybe they'd make us read textbooks," Ron said, trying to counter the cropping argument. "Bet you'd like that wouldn't you? You probably already read your textbooks anyway."

Hermione rolled her eyes from the other side of Harry as she said, "There's nothing wrong with being prepared. There's some good stuff in there not that you would know since you're illiterate!"

"Harry, tell that bookworm over there that she's a git!" Ron retorted, looking across Harry who was stuck between the two.

"Ron says 'you're a git'," Harry smiled at Hermione.

"Well you can tell _Ronald_ that he's such an enormous prat I'm surprised he fit through the door!" spat Hermione.

Harry grinned at Ron, "Hermione say's 'you're an enormous prat and she's surprised you fit through the door'."

"Harry!" Hermione and Ron cried out in unison.

The black hair teen laughed at his friends unable to stop thinking how stupid they could be at times, though he was not privy to the seclusion of that himself.

"Harry you're so stupid!" Hermione laughed as Ron elbowed him softly chuckling.

Harry snorted looking around to see that most of the people where fellow seventh year Gryffindor's, a good amount of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuffs, but very few Slytherin's that Harry was rather thankful for when suddenly the familiar blonde hair of a Hufflepuff crossed his vision.

"Hello, Luna," Harry said, and smiled softly at the girl the same age sitting just a desk to the left of him.

The girl turned around to show it was indeed Luna Lovegood, the same dreamy look in her eyes as usual that Harry had gotten use to end of fifth year.

"Hello, Harry how are you doing, have a good summer?" she asked dreamily, the quill on her desk bouncing around as it drew something on the piece of parchment she had laying out.

"It was okay, you?" he asked, making small talk as the Professor's still had not shown up.

"Well I got to help dad with the Quibbler this summer. Just a small job is all, might go work there when school's out," she smiled at the thought.

"Hey, Luna," Ron said, letting her know that he was there as well.

"Hello, Ronald--- Hermione!" Luna smiled softly always having called Ron by his full name despite his pleas not to, Hermione who never really got along with Luna until the events of last term merely smiled and nodded her head.

"Okay you lot shut up or---," said Fred, coming into the classroom abruptly.

"---We'll have to hand out detentions," said George, following behind his brother both dressed in muggle attire, instead of Wizarding robes. One in dark jeans and a fading grey T-Shirt, while the other wore fading jeans and a fading black T-Shirt both with white angled text spreading from their left should down to the middle of their chest reading:

_Arrogant but aufentic_

Harry could not help but laugh at this, appreciating it was quite true especially when it came to the teachers that they often had terrorized in the past that they were now calling co-workers. His chuckle rising from his throat broke into a full laugh when he realized the 'Authentic' was misspelled very much on purpose.

"Oi, Potter what are you laughin' at?" George asked, drawing the attention of the class to stare pointedly at Harry.

"I just like you shirt is all," said Harry, grinning broadly.

The twins laughed. "We thought you might!" they said, in unison.

Several laughs issued from the classroom at the realization of what their shirts said.

"Is that a muggle joke for your shop?" someone in the back asked suddenly, others nodding their heads in agreement at the inquiry. "You're going into apparel now too?"

"No, got this online on a muggle computer," Fred smirked.

"A what?" several mumbled.

"It's an electronic muggle device. You can go on the internet and buy stuff with a credit card," Hermione answered quickly. "But how you two got one ---"

"This is Dark Magical Objects and their Dismantle not a how did we get a credit card class, I'll remind you Miss. Granger," George chided with a small smirk.

Hermione frowned looking absolutely livid as she sat a bit back in her chair, arms folded across her chest.

"Did I mention I love my brother's?" Ron whispered to Harry, both chuckling softly.

"Well, why don't we get started?" said George. "Take out _How to Identify Dark Objects_ by Owen Sirocco."

"And read the first page past the index. Ingrain it into your minds!" Fred said, dragging his fingers through his nearly shoulder length red flaming hair.

"That's weird!" Harry whispered gaining the inquisitive looks of his two friends'.

"What's weird?" asked Ron, flipping to the page assigned.

"The book Hermione's is supposta get for me," Harry said. "It's by the same guy!"

"So," said Ron.

"The books we got for this class are all by the same man," Hermione replied as though it wasn't a big deal.

"And?" Ron asked.

"Don't you find it odd that Professor Potter asked me to read another book by him?" whispered Harry, as he had not opened up his book once since asked.

"Owen Sirocco is a Curse Breaker for Gringotts and has been for nearly fifty years," Hermione said. "There's no reason why he wouldn't know about dark objects, I'm sure he's come across them loads of times."

The twins abruptly interrupted their hushed conversation. "Why don't you tell me what the good book says Miss. Granger since I'm sure you've probably read the whole thing already?" George said, leaning against the shared teacher's desk, a rather serious look upon his face.

"The first page only states 'Do not touch anything suspicious, psychically'," Hermione said.

"And why not?" George asked, as Fred propped himself up onto the desk beside his brother.

"Due to the fact that you don't know what kind of curse or hex could be placed on the object."

"Right--- _accio_!" said Fred, and with a wave of his wand, several objects flew from off of the wall behind them and onto a few of the front desks. "These are a few cursed objects sent to us by a close friend of Professor Potter's specifically for you to study and attempt to dismantle."

"There's nothing to heavy on these though it's best not to touch," George retorted, looking down at the medallion-sized locket residing on Ron, Harry and Hermione's desk. "What we want is for you to look for the tell tale signs of what curses might be on them. The best way is to give 'em a good few jabs with your wand; test of course only. See what spells you can direct at it and look in the good book for some idea of what you might be dealing with."

"Why don't you give it a try Mr. Weasley?" Fred said, pointing to Ron.

Ron looked horrified, as did Hermione. "What?" he stammered.

"Try something on it," Fred replied, with a mysterious look in his eyes, which usually could be categorized under mischievous.

George and Fred looked at each other with a smile.

"Alright then…ah…_diffindo_!" Ron said, and with a flick of his wand the locket shook violently, bright blue smoke erupted suddenly from the object swirling high in the air gathering itself before it plunged after Ron wrapping around his neck in a thickly form of a hand choking him roughly.

Several others cried out as Harry attempted to get a hold of the mist in some fashion, his fingers passing through it just like through fog.

"_Privatio_!" the twins said together the blue smoke relinquishing its hold on Ron.

"You---," Ron said, coughing loudly. "Could have killed me!"

"No mate we wouldn't let something like that happen. Mum would do her nut!" the twins replied, grinning from ear to ear. "Now that you know the effects if you try and harm it so look it up!"

"More than likely under some other word for violent or choke-you-to-death or maybe choke-some-sense-into-you!" Fred laughed as he kept an eye on the class going through their books.

Harry watched as George looked around the classroom briefly before nodding his head on a matter he had been thinking about to himself, "Might have to ask Avril to expand the room a bit." he whispered to Fred who too looked around but smirked.

"Nah we'll just hang 'em from the rafters mate!"

Harry snorted into his book thankful that he had a seat when Hermione's hand shot up into the air. Fred and George looked at each other then back to Hermione who was patiently waiting, hand still in the air.

"Yes?" they said, in unison.

"Some of the spells in here we've never done before and are rather hard to cast," she stated matter-of-factly. Ron looked flabbergasted as did Harry and several others who knew Hermione was a crack shot at quick learning.

"Well you are a seventh year aren't you?" George asked, sweetly and if anything else, Hermione looked taken back by such a question.

"Yes, but even so they are difficult to cast!" she countered.

"Knowing you Miss. Granger it should be easy," Fred responded. "Let's ask Harry to give it a shot!"

Harry looked rather surprised, his eyes cast to the dirty, golden locket briefly before sighing as he took his wand out of his robes, "Anything's alright as long as I use one of the spells in the book?" he asked.

They nodded their heads watching closely.

"Harry be careful!" Hermione said, looking a bit worried.

"Yeah Harry," mumbled Ron shifting away from his friend a bit for fear of a repeat of his earlier incident.

Harry looked at his book for a split second before his wand took aim and he tried to copy the wrist movements required. "_Resolvo_!" he said.

Surprisingly, the locket absorbed the spell, immediately it shook viciously for the second time that day when surprisingly it snapped open. People stood and others leaned over to see what was inside; sure enough something small and a bit dusty lay inside, Harry's fingers touching it softly. A jade bird running the length from the point of his finger to his second knuckle peered back up at him with two bright diamonds for eyes. Suddenly it moved, Harry and Ron both pointed their wands at it in a hurried fast as it jumped up from the locket and onto the desk upon which it shook itself to be rid of the dust; its gold lined wings stretched as it padded across the wood.

"What the…," Ron mumbled.

"It's just a charmed object Ron, honestly!" Hermione chuckled as a few others joined in.

"Quite cute if you ask me," A girl from behind Harry said watching it climb up the boys arm.

Quickly it climbed up Harry's robes onto his shoulder and began tweeting softly into his ear, but little did the others know it was speaking quite clearing in English to Harry.

"_Pasted onto the one that could open me,_" it said, while Harry pulled it from his shoulder quickly for fear of what it was.

"What?" Harry mumbled setting it back onto the table.

"What's wrong Harry?" Hermione asked, taking in his bewildered expression with concern.

"Wha…you can't hear it?" he asked, looking between his friends.

"Hear what?" Ron looked rather confused.

"_They can't hear me_," The jade bird said, in a small sweet sung voice. "_Only you, you open me, now you master! Can do anything, listen to anything, and tell you if you want!_"

"Hearing voices again Potter?" a Slytherin chided from in the back of the classroom, his friends joining in on the joke.

"_Me a Espy Bird, can do whatever master wants!_" the jade bird squawked as it took flight and landed on his shoulder softly.

"Twenty points from Slytherin," George chuckled. "Harry doesn't hear voices…desirably…unless of course their helpful and then you'd want to hear 'em too, but you don't wanna hear voices do you Harry?"

The aforementioned teen quickly shook his head as several Slytherin's grumbled trying to protest against the docked house points.

"If you like I can make it a hundred?" George sneered sitting himself onto the desk like his brother.

"It seems to have taken a liking to you Harry," Fred smirked, as he looked as if to be thinking of more ways that he and George could torment the Slytherin house. "You can keep it. Some of the objects have stuff in them that are harmless. Checked out by a curse breaker before they were sent here. Even the Headmistress checked 'em so go ahead and keep it!"

"Why don't the rest of you give a try to the ones on your desk and we'll come around to ah--- un-choke you," George chuckled. "As for those that don't have any yet, keep reading your book."

**----------------------------------------------**

The trio sat in the library after classes, Hermione sorting through her textbooks and the pile of books she had pulled from the shelves for her N.E.W.T homework that was already stacking up on the third day of school. Harry rather surprised to see Ron diving into his own mound of books, instead of just copying off of Hermione's work, made him wonder if something had happened between the two when he wasn't looking. Instead of questioning them, as he knew he should be, he disappeared off into one of the small rows of high loose books and a bookshelf, making sure no one was within ear shot before he pulled the small jade bird from his robes.

"So what are you?" he whispered.

"_An Espy bird!"_ the stone said, squawking rather loudly.

"Be quiet!" Harry said harshly, cupping his hands together over it.

"_Sorry,"_ the Espy mumbled.

"Do you have a name?" Harry asked, and seeing the Espy's confused cocking of its head he plowed on. "Like my name is Harry and my friend's names are Ron and Hermione. Do you have a name like that?"

"_Just Espy!"_ it jumped up a little out of the palm of his hand, flapping its wings.

Harry sighed. "Alright Espy, if I look you up can I find you in a book?"

"_Yes."_

"Good," Harry said stuffing it into his robes. "Be quiet in there okay?"

"_Okay."_

Harry knew what he had to do, but he really did not want to have to approach the resident librarian--- she was rather frightening not to mention she might raise questions as to why he was looking for such an odd item. Still the black haired teen approached the resident librarian.

"Excuse me, but could you tell me what book tells information on the Espy Bird?" he asked hesitantly, working himself up to get yelled at possibly.

Madame Pince looked astounded that the boy had spoken to her, let alone had even asked a question, and her eyes narrowed considerably when she said, "_Items Not to be Caught With_ by Godric James Potter," she scowled. "It's in the forbidden section and you've got to have signed permission from a teacher to go in that section…so have you?"

Harry felt like he had just been hit with a Beaters bat. "What was the author's name?" he demanded.

The woman scowled even more, her eyebrows knitting together if they had not already. "Godric James Potter," she spat.

"How is the last name spelled?" he asked, confusing the librarian he was sure.

"…P-O-T-T-E-R," she answered, her lips in a sneer.

The teenager's heart felt as though it might rip out of his rib cage at the sudden unexpected news. What was with all these names…the Headmistress shared the same last name as him and so did this author now, whom not to mention, his middle name was Harry's fathers first name. Why did the name Owen Sirocco keep popping up on all the books he had to read about dismantling dark objects, was it nothing and the man was as good as Hermione said he was or could there some connection between it all. All of this was getting weirder by the moment for Harry.

"_Ouch!"_ Harry thought when suddenly Espy poked him in the chest from inside his robes.

"Well boy do you?" Madame Pince asked yet again getting annoyed with the child.

"Ah, not yet," Harry said truthfully. "I'll be back with it though!"

The librarian pierced her lips together in anger. "I'm sure," she growled, not liking anyone to touch her precious books, especially those ones in the forbidden section.

Harry made his way back to the secluded table his friend's occupied still with their noses in their books--- well at least Hermione was, Ron was rather leaning back in his chair, the front feet hovering off of the floor a few inches.

"Where have you been?" asked Ron, letting the front legs of his chair meet the floor.

"Looking for a book," Harry replied.

How was he going to ask Hermione, who had permanent permission to go into the forbidden section of the library due to the amount of questions she asked that some teachers did not have the answer to, to get him a book without her getting suspicious? On the other hand, having to tell his friend's that the jade bird was really called Espy and that it talked to him in clear English--- he was going to sound like a nutter more then he already did.

"Hermione I need you to get me a book in the forbidden section," Harry said.

Hermione looked up from her schoolwork with an eyebrow raised. "Why?" she asked.

Harry tried to tiptoe his way around the question. "Because I need a teacher's permission to get stuff in that section and you have permanent permission," he mumbled.

"Yes, but---," the girl was cut off quickly.

"I just need you to trust me on this," Harry replied. "It's called _Items Not to be Caught with_ by Godric James Potter."

"Potter---," Ron said, sitting up a bit at this news. "That's odd."

"Yeah tell me about it," Harry responded, still waiting for Hermione to answer him.

"I suppose you're not going to tell me why you need that book are you?" Hermione asked, with a rather mixed expression of worry and sadness in her eyes.

Harry said, "Not just yet."

"Alright then," she said, exasperatedly standing and disappearing; the girl soon returned with the said book in hand, placing it before Harry onto the table.

"Thanks!" said Harry

Flipping to the index the teen found the right page and soon rushed to page fifty-five that read:

_**Chapter 25:**__**The Espy Esperanto Bird AKA Espy bird**_

_The Espy bird is a small stealthy spy made of jade stone, diamond eyes and with small gold_

_ lining its wings that can listen and understand anything in any language. They are also very _

_good at discovering or detecting things or people that are hard to find. There was a recorded _

_number of only 4 in the world made by Sir Denbridge in 1932 who was the only one able to _

_make them before he pasted. All four were destroyed by the Ministry of Magic in fear of enemies _

_using them against the Ministry in 1967. Should one have been caught it could easily have been _

_charmed to take on a new master and spy for the enemy._

_It is speculated that Sir Denbridge created one more Espy bird before he left this world, but _

_no such item has since been found despite numerous searches of his estate. Sir Denbridge _

_had no family when he passed and made the jade birds once for company, but refused to _

_take on any students to learn the secret of the creation of the Espy birds._

_The Ministry of Magic since the destroying of such a beautiful object has banned them in _

_case the last speculated Espy bird came into circulation and if one is found with it, they will _

_have earned themselves a one-way ticket to Azkaban._

_The Espy bird is said by the ones that have used them in the past only able to be heard by _

_its current master. Anyone else that heard the talking of the bird would only simply hear its _

_twittering and squawking. A rather good and hard charm amazing to be put and controlled _

_in such a small object; though despite the fact that it can be charmed to take another _

_master it cannot tell the secrets or said whereabouts of its previous master for it is said _

_to forget it within seconds of the exchange._

_Whether the speculated Espy bird made by Sir Denbridge can do more than its previous _

_predecessors is up in the air for I do not believe one will be found in my lifetime. Though _

_there are many theories as to what it can do, I will not write it here for it would take up far _

_too many pages and far too many days!_

Harry closed the book and sighed. "You've got to be kidding me…," he mumbled.

"What?" Ron asked, having been watching him the whole time. "What is it?"

"I have an Espy bird," Harry said, without thought in a monotone voice, no emotion held within it what-so-ever.

"A what?" Hermione and Ron said in unison. Ron abruptly looked at the girl as if she was not the real Hermione.

"_You_ don't know what it is?" Ron asked a gasp.

The girl simply rolled her eyes and took the book from Harry diving through the index and to the said page, reading it within seconds.

"Oh my…, Harry that's was what was in the locket!" she gasped as Ron snatched the book from her becoming enlightened as well.

"Sweet," he said. "You can send it to spy on people!"

"Ron it's banned," Hermione whispered harshly. "Harry could get sent to Azkaban for it!"

"Oh please," Ron said waving her off with his hand dismissively. "Harry's done loads of stuff that could have gotten him carted off to Azkaban, but hasn't yet has he?"

Hermione punched the red head's shoulder. "You need to turn it in to McGonagall, Harry," she said while Ron rubbed at his bruising flesh. "Explain to her how you got it."

Harry sat there, feeling the soft movement of Espy in his robes as he mulled over his choices; whether to take Espy into McGonagall and have it more than likely destroyed or possible fall into the wrong hands--- _or_ keep it close and try to insure its survival. The teen liked the better of the latter as he weighed his options.

"Yeah I'll take it into McGonagall," he lied.

Hermione smiled. "Good!" she said before going back to her homework.

"What a waste," Ron mumbled leaning back onto the heels of his chair again.

Harry did not like lying to his friend's, but he would keep Espy for the time being and see if the bird could find out anything about all these names and if there was any connection between them and himself. His Hogwarts years were becoming one big action-adventure that he really did not want to be part of and he wished as he always did for at least one normal year at school, but it was slowing becoming impossible like it did every year.


	10. Between the Lines

_A/N: **NO** DEATHLY HALLOWS SPOILERS. I'm not evil like some asshats I know. -glare- So if you'd like to read it please do! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did writing this chapter!_

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**  
Chapter 10 - Between the Lines**

Thursday morning rolled around, and Harry and Ron were soon off to Divination with Professor Trelawney. Harry was rather thankful that he wouldn't see Professor Trelawney next Thursday, while they climbed up into the aroma filled room. The only light, seeping from the fireplace, bathed the room in an eerie glow. Quickly Harry ducked for a table in the back closest to the window, that he cracked open immediately, feeling the cool breeze upon his face.

Ron tucked himself in next to Harry, while the boy-who-lived prayed that Professor Potter would send someone for him to say that she wanted to see him as soon as possible. Harry daydreamed; someone sent by the Headmistress, would rescue him from the sweltering heat of the room---, preferably Ginny Weasley.

"Good morning my young seers!" Professor Trelawney exclaimed. Her extraordinarily, large glasses made her look more of a nutter than Harry already thought she was.

"Today, we shall look even farther into the beyond!" Trelawney said, in her usual airy tone. "We'll be studying Chiromancy; the reading of the palms! Now open your books to page thirty-two. You shall be looking at the shape of the hand, the lines and the mounts of your dominate hand."

"Dominate hand? Does that mean the hand you write with?" asked Megan Jones, a rather dim witted Hufflepuff.

"Duh!" retorted Ron loudly, waving off some of the smoky incense that had floated his way.

"Page thirty-two!" Trelawney snapped, before the girl could retaliate. "Study your neighbor's hand and write what it is that you see!"

Harry sighed and opened his book, looking over the odd drawing on the page next to several, very long, looking paragraphs. Ron suddenly started to mimic Jones' facial expressions, contorting his face in different inquisitive looks, and he clapped his hands softly as though excited about something. It took all Harry's will power not to laugh because Jones herself was looking at Ron with the exact same expression his best mate was copying.

Half way through the class, Harry found it better to make up wacky things like he often did, then actually have to stare at Ron's hand to figure his future. Harry certainly didn't need his own read to tell him that dark times lay ahead. Out of the blue Trelawney's large eyes magnified behind her overly, large glasses stared at him as though a deer caught in headlights.

"So boy; tell me what it is that you see," she said, looking at Harry.

Harry, who had slumped down to rest his head on the table, straightened up and flipped through his book a bit.

"Ah, well---," he started.

"Not you," she said, in her usual airy tone, and turned her headlight eyes upon Ron.

"Ah…well, Harry has ah…," Ron riffled through his textbook, which he had used as a sleeping pillow. "Harry's got ah…strong hands so, he's represented by the…element Earth?"

Trelawney shook her head and grabbed Harry's hand abruptly; her dry hands shifted over Harry's slightly sweaty palms, yet again the older woman shook her head ruefully.

"Just like your friend, Grander---"

"Granger," Ron corrected the Divination teacher, rather irritated.

Trelawney continued as though she hadn't heard the interruption. "I knew that you did not posse the things needed for the sight," she paused, as though what she would say next would hold some great insight. "Mr. Potter's element is water, but of course. His lines give tell that he has had _many_ slippery escapes from death. Ah---, but his heart line interrupts with his head line. That can only mean one thing. …Death will come on swift wings!"

Snatching his hand from Trelawney, Harry unconsciously rubbed his palm with his other hand, as though that might get rid of her surprisingly, stinging prediction. The teen was used to her yearlong predictions of his death. Though he had thought her nuts; she had predicted, while in a trance, about Wormtail and Sirius' return in his third year. She had even been the one that gave the prophecy that had once lay held in the Hall of Prophecy's of Harry and Voldemort's future.

"Both cannot live while the other survives," mumbled Harry

"What did you say?" questioned Ron, after Professor Trelawney moved onto another table.

"Nothing," Harry responded, as he shook off the odd feeling that had come over him.

**-**+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

Harry was grateful for the break that followed Divination, but not to thoroughly pleased with the amount of homework that had been assigned. Despite this, Ron and Harry headed for the Gryffindor common room to relax and possibly start on their Double Charms homework that would be due on Monday. It was highly doubtful that would happen.

"Hippogriff," said Ron, when they approached the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Indeed dears," she smiled brightly, and swung open to allow them entrance.

"Harry!" someone suddenly called out behind them.

Harry turned at the sound of his name to see a particularly pretty, long haired blonde who jogged up the stairs to catch up to them. Ron stared at her rather lack jawed, to Harry's amusement, as they girl handed over a thick looking bit of rolled up parchment.

"Professor Potter asked me to give this to you," she said, and smiled warmly; her perfect, white and pearly teeth stood in an even row.

Glancing down at the parchment, Harry recognized the Hogwarts seal the Headmistress had impressed upon it. Ron continued to stare, and the door to the Gryffindor common room still stood wide open.

"Would you like me to stay like this forever?" the Fat Lady said indignantly. "Letting all sorts of people come and go as they please without the password?"

"Yeah if you could," replied Harry jokingly. "Thanks," he turned back to the girl who quickly gave a wave and trotted back down the stairs, avoiding the dreaded seventh step that was on the revolving stairs, like it was elsewhere in the castle.

"Who was that?" demanded Ron, in awe.

"What? Oh, that's Sally-Anne Perks," Harry said, shifting his bag on his shoulders, aching to read what the Headmistress had written on the parchment.

Quickly, Ron followed after him subsequent to the blonde having disappeared out of sight. The Fat Lady swung shut with a crisp slam that nearly caught the end of Ron's robes.

"What year is she in?" asked the red head, with a rather dreamy look on his face. "I think I'd remember her."

Harry laughed a loud the same time as he set his bag down in front of the couch taking a seat. "She's in our year. She shares a dorm with Hermione," he said, chuckling.

Ron sat up at the news and said, "She's a Gryffindor? No way!"

Shaking his head, Harry tore open the seal unceremoniously.

"So what does it say?" asked Ron, while he shifted through his bag. He yanked out the thickly bounded _Standard Book of Spells Grade Seven by Miranda Goshawk _and_ Quintessence: A Quest_.

The black haired teen looked rather perplexed. "She wants me to learn these spells," he answered.

"That's it?" Ron asked glumly. "What kind of spells?"

Harry looked over the small list that was labeled: Jinxes.

"There's only two," Harry replied.

Ron took the parchment from him as he said, "Let me see that!"

"What are you two looking at?" Hermione asked, returning from her Arithmancy class, that she had when they had Divination.

"This completely mental letter from Professor Potter," Ron said dolefully.

Hermione sighed and took a seat on the couch beside Harry. "Let me see it," she said.

Scanning it, Hermione's eyes paused on the list of two Jinxes, and her face lit up as though Christmas had come early.

"This is amazing!" she whispered.

Harry and Ron exchanged glances, realizing she was having a bookworm moment. Hermione looked up, smiling rather brightly, but caught sight of her best mate's looks and began to frown.

"These jinxes are required learning for all Aurors in training. They came into required learning in nineteen-seventy nine and were created by---," Hermione's grin returned. "Avrilynn Potter. The Headmistress."

Ron rolled his eyes and slumped back into his chair at the same time as Harry's eyebrows rose in question.

"You two!" Hermione sighed exasperatedly. "The Geminus Jinx, also known as the Twin Jinx or Clone Jinx. When cast the spellcaster can create a shadow copy of him or her…though it's rather dangerous. The spellcaster has got to have great concentration, because the shadow twin can cast the same spells you can. Jinxes, hexes, charms and the like. If you can cast it, the shadow can too."

"Sweet!" Ron suddenly shot up, sharing a glazed over expression like Harry's own, the clogs in their heads working already.

"Ron it exceptionally hard! Witches and Wizards have been known to loss control over it and have it attack them! That's why hardly anyone uses it," Hermione said sternly. "The point of the jinx is for the shadow to sort of watch your back."

"If it's that hard, why does she want me to learn it?" questioned Harry, pushing his slipping glasses back up the bridge of his nose.

"She must believe in you a lot to ask you to learn it. They don't teach it to the Auror's-in-training until their third year…she hasn't listed the counter so she probably wants you to only try it out with her present," Hermione answered, glazing over the letter again. "The other one is a really good one! They teach it to Auror's-in-training their second year. She's got the counter listed so you could give it a try without her I guess."

"Well; what does it do?" inquired Ron leaning over to catch sight of the parchment again.

"It's the Invisibility Jinx---,"

Harry cut her off. "Isn't that the Invisibility _Charm_?"

The bushy, haired girl shook her head. "Fundamentally they're the same, but the Invisibility Charm only makes _objects_ invisible. The Invisibility Jinx makes _people_. It's hard to do too. Takes loads of concentration and the counter wasn't released to the Magical Community. Tonks...," Hermione looked around the crowded Gryffindor common room and leaned in a bit; Ron and Harry following suit. "Tonks told Ginny and I about it when we were at Grimmauld. Said she was real nervous trying this one, because the jinx makes you invisible and you can't see your hands or anything, but if someone else is using it too, you can see them, and they can see you."

"Wait a minute. So you can see each other, but can't see yourself?" Ron asked.

"Yes," Hermione replied straightening up.

"Wicked," Harry mumbled. "It's better than the Invisibility Cloak!"

"Harry---," Hermione began in her strict tone.

"Don't worry. I won't use it to go down to the kitchens to nick food," Harry said, laughing.

Ron chuckled taking the letter from Hermione. "It does say here that if you learn to use it, you'll surprise Lupin…. What d'you reckon that means?"

"Lupin probably can't do it," rejoined Harry.

Hermione shook her head, while she pulled out the _Advanced Potions Year 7 _book and set her _How to Indentify Dark Objects_ book atop it. Ron suddenly glared at the blood red book with vehement loathing.

"I still can't believe Fred and George gave us homework!" exclaimed Ron, heatedly.

"At least it shows their being serious about their job!" Hermione huffed.

"But they're _my_ brothers!" said Ron despite the fact that he pointed exaggeratedly at himself.

Rolling her eyes Hermione turned to Harry. "So have you read that book, Professor Potter wanted you to read?" she asked.

Harry's eyes grew wide. He hadn't even thought about the book. That in itself was odd; as it was the author who in some respect led Harry (in his opinion) to be in possession of Espy, the small jade bird with gold lined wings. Consequently, he had come across the other name that threw him for a loop. Godric James Potter; the author of the book _Items Not to be Caught With_, the very book in which he learned what Espy was.

"I take that as a 'No'," said Hermione, while she dipped her quill into her ink.

"I forgot," confessed Harry. "I'll get to it tonight."

"Well, we can work on the Invisibility Jinx after dinner," declared Hermione.

"Yeah, sure," Harry mumbled. His mind mulling over the small discoveries he had made recently, just his first week back at Hogwarts.

**-**+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

Harry was happy to see the DADA classroom door unlocked and wide open, and he dashed through it rather quickly, wanting to get a good seat while he had the chance. Hermione and Ron looked equally excited. Entering the room, the three took in that no one else was there yet. They were a good ten minutes early after all. Remus looked up from his desk, hearing the footsteps of approaching students, that dashed into his classroom as though they might be late; which was impossible.

"Professor Lupin!" Hermione said, grinning just as broadly as her other friend's.

Remus smiled himself and stood. "Hello, Hermione," he said. "Harry, Ron."

Hands were shook and the trio settled their things on a three-seated desk in the very front row.

"How have you been doing?" Remus questioned, looking between the three. "Was your summer alright?"

Several renditions of the three's summer flew abound before Ron blurted out what Harry and Hermione were thinking.

"How did you get past the Werewolf laws?" Ron asked uncouthly.

Despite that, Remus chuckled, not surprised by the young man's question. "If I had a galleon for how many times someone has asked me that this week, I'd be rich," he replied.

"Sorry, Ron can be a rather crude individual," Hermione said, scolding Ron.

The DADA Professor laughed. "It's quite alright Hermione. He's the right to ask," Remus replied. "Though I'm afraid only the Headmistress and the Ministry of Magic know that."

Harry was rather confused. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"Professor Potter approached me at my home a few days before I saw you at the Dursley's, Harry and told me that I had a secure position at Hogwarts if I so chose to take it. Though I really had no choice in the matter as she refused to leave," Remus smiled softly, pulling his chair out to sit upon.

"You didn't have a choice?" asked Hermione, rather lost as much as Harry and Ron were.

Remus laughed quietly. "Let's just say I now officially hate, _Henry the Eighth I Am_ and _A Hundred Bottles of Beer on the Wall_," he responded.

It didn't take Harry long to understand what the Headmistress had done, and before he realized it; he was roaring in fits of laughter.

"That's terrible," Hermione said.

"What is?" Ron inquired, looking to Harry with a rather mixed expression of amusement and concern. "What's _Henry the Eighth I Am_ and _A Hundred Bottles of Beer on the Wall_?"

"Their muggle songs that repeat endlessly. The point behind them is to basically annoy the person you're singing them to," replied Hermione matter-of-factly.

Ron laughed. "That sounds like something Fred and George would do."

Harry broke his laughter and posed a question. "So, if the Ministry knows that you're working here, does that mean they're doing something about anti-werewolf legislation?"

Sighing, Remus took a drink from his cup of tea that had lain hidden under his papers. "I'm afraid I also don't know anything about that either."

"Bet Umbridge isn't happy about that," Harry sneered.

"Don't even mention that ghastly woman!" retorted Hermione.

"Be that as it may, she will be attending our fair Hogwarts in a few days to overlook my--- _teaching_ ability," Remus responded, running a hand through his hair.

"YOU'RE JOKING?" Ron shouted, enraged.

"And after all we did to get rid of her!" Hermione said, indignantly. Having realized what she said, she slapped a hand over her mouth as though it might make it go unheard.

Laughing Remus stirred his tea. "McGonagall told me what you did when I arrived," he smiled. "Definitely the sort of thing the Marauder's would have done."

Harry felt his heart swell with sudden pride, yet to know that his father would have done the same thing, rather than let a woman like that roam the halls of Hogwarts, he was glad to know he was more like his father then mere looks. Unexpectedly, as they weren't paying any attention to the time, the five minute bell rang warning that classes would start and students began to file into the classroom.

**-**+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

Managing to get away from Hermione before she demanded that they go find an empty classroom to practice the new jinx in, he dodged his way up the stairs to his dorm and riffled through his trunk to find Espy snuggled under his knickers.

"Get out of there!" Harry exclaimed, shaking the blue cloth.

"_Hello, master! Espy was just resting, I was,"_ Espy replied cheerfully.

"I see that," Harry said. "Listen; Espy I need you to find out as much as you can about a Wizard called, Godric James Potter. I got a feeling that he's connected to me or both Professor Potter and I in some way."

"_Yes, master of course!"_ the jade bird screeched and hovered in the air before him.

"_Don't_ get caught Espy!" Harry said, doubtful if the bird who squawked at the worst opportunities could do any spying of the sort without getting caught.

"_Of course not master!"_ said Espy before she flew out of the door and disappeared from sight.

Harry trotted off down the stairs to join the anxious looking Hermione and fairly excited Ron. It didn't take them long to find an empty classroom on the lowest most dungeon floor and give a first attempt to the Invisibility Jinx.

Hermione said, "Alright then, give it a try Harry. If you do the right wrist movements that we read up on then it should work. Oh, and remember to concentrate!"

Harry sighed and gave a wave of his wand while he said, "_Occaecocorpus_!"

Hermione cried out and Ron gave a great lurch, his face with the utmost repulsion upon it.

"He's splinched himself!" cried out Ron.

Hermione didn't even try to correct Ron, because she stared in revulsion at the sight before her. Harry did indeed give the impression that he had splinched himself, but instead of one part of the body, it seemed to have happen to different parts. Half of Harry's leg was missing, a bit of his upper arm gone and his neck was no longer visible. It was rather revolting to look upon due to the fact that one could see his bones surrounded by his muscles and tissue. It exposed as though severed.

"Can…ah…can you move?" Ron asked, frowning deeply.

Harry looked down at his leg to see that half of it was gone, but could still feel it completely attached as usual. Shifting his feet, he walked about the room able to despite the look of being splinched.

"That's sick," mumbled Ron.

Hermione appeared to have composed herself again. "You didn't concentrate the first time, Harry. You've got to concentrate, because I don't think either Ron or my stomach can take it again."

"Sorry," Harry mumbled. "_Appareo_." Harry's body became whole again.

"Alright then give it another try," Hermione replied, while Ron covered his eyes.

Harry tried several more times over the weekend and the impression of being splinched rather severely got worse and worse by the days. Pressing on determined to become skilled at the jinx; it wasn't until Sunday evening around four in morning Ron passed out at the polished teachers desk on the fifth floor, while the Marauder's Map under his face, that Harry managed to get the spell down.

"YES!" Harry shouted as he looked down to his hands, or where they might have been, unable to see them.

Ron shot up, drooling slightly, and Hermione chuckled.

"You can't see me right?" Harry asked.

"No, Harry we can't," said Hermione, grinning broadly.

"Where are you?" Ron asked, looking about the room.

The Marauder's Map suddenly shot out from under the red head's hand, startling him, and danced in front of his face.

"_Very funny_ Harry," Ron said, yanking the Map from the air.

"_Appareo_," Harry's voice carried in the room and his body manifested as though it was the wind, taking a form. The windy vapor of his form filled out until he was solid looking again.

Ron who had decided that he wanted to learn the spell joined in with Harry and Hermione, giving it try. It took Hermione no time to catch on; three hours later Ron followed suit, and soon the three were able to make themselves invisible--- though the clock read that it was seven in the morning and their eyes were relatively red.

"Good thing we've got a break first thing in the morning," Ron said, smiling while they walked through the portrait hole to the abandoned Gryffindor tower common room.

"Yeah; good thing," Harry mumbled, his limbs rather sore for some reason.

"Good-night; Ron, Harry," Hermione said softly, while she rubbed her eyes a bit.

Ron and Harry said their good nights to Hermione before they disappeared into the boys dorms. Harry had barely managed to change into his pajamas before he heard Ron's steady familiar snoring. Slipping his glasses off and settling them beside his wand on his bed side table, he briefly wondered if Espy had found anything out before he fell into a dream of pink, cotton candy clouds that Fred and George sat upon laughing at Harry who was unable to reach them.

* * *

_  
A/N: I had way too much fun with this chapter! The splinching look-a-like and spells where fun for me. When I made them I didn't think I'd use them outside of 'To Start with a Memory' but surprise, surprise! Haha._

_- I own all OC's, plot and the jinks named in this chapter: Geminus Jinx, also known as the Twin Jinx or Clone Jinx__ & the Invisibility Jinx & their counters & properties/actions._

_- I do not own HP and the canon's. Megan Jones is a canon character of J.K.Rowling's but was never put into the books so far. She was listed on the list of students in Harry's year on a piece of notebook paper Rowling showed on Harry and Me. (I think that's the title. Don't know it off hand)_


End file.
